Birthday
HydrangeasRosemary is one of the most rewarding herbs to grow at home: an evergreen shrublet with narrow, needle-like leaves that smells of pine, camphor and the Mediterranean summer. A fresh sprig from a pot on the windowsill is always more fragrant than dried seasoning from a packet. Yet rosemary has a reputation for being fussy: a plant bought in a supermarket often dries out within a month. Here is where rosemary comes from, which varieties suit a pot, how to care for it indoors, how to get it through winter and why it usually dies not from drought but from too much water.
What kind of plant is rosemary
Rosemary is an evergreen shrub from the mint family, Lamiaceae, related to lavender, sage, mint and basil. For a long time it was called Rosmarinus officinalis, but in 2017 botanists moved it into the sage genus based on DNA evidence, so its scientific name today is Salvia rosmarinus. Shops and cookbooks, of course, still simply say "rosemary".
The name comes from the Latin ros marinus, "dew of the sea": in the wild rosemary grows on rocky Mediterranean slopes, often close to the coast. Wild shrubs reach 1–2 m, while potted plants usually stay compact at 30–60 cm.
Rosemary leaves have a thick skin and a hairy underside — that is how the plant saves water during hot, dry summers. In late winter and spring it produces small blue, occasionally pink or white flowers that bees love.
Which varieties to choose
- Upright — the classic form with vertical shoots (for example 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' or 'Tuscan Blue'). Handy for the kitchen: the sprigs are long and straight.
- Trailing (Prostratus Group) — the shoots cascade, so these varieties look lovely in hanging baskets and on retaining walls.
- Hardier — for example 'Arp', grown in regions with cool winters; but even it overwinters reliably in Ukraine only under protection and in mild areas.
- Pink- or white-flowered — ornamental forms that taste and smell almost the same as ordinary rosemary.
Compact upright varieties are best for a windowsill. Garden centres often sell them simply as "rosemary" with no variety name — that is fine.
What to do after buying
A supermarket rosemary is usually several cuttings crammed into a small pot of peat. Such a "bouquet" is made to sell fast, not to live long.
- Let the plant adjust to its new spot on your brightest window for 1–2 weeks.
- Then gently remove the root ball and, if there are several plants in the pot, separate them into individual pots.
- Choose a pot 2–4 cm wider than the root ball, always with a drainage hole. Terracotta is better than plastic: it breathes, and the soil dries faster.
- Use a light mix: all-purpose potting soil with an equal part of sand or perlite, plus a layer of expanded clay at the bottom.
Indoor care: light, watering, soil
- Light. Rosemary needs at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. South- and west-facing windows work; in summer, an open balcony or terrace. In winter there is almost never enough light, so a grow light for 10–12 hours a day helps.
- Watering. Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil are dry. Empty the saucer after 10–15 minutes. Do not let the root ball dry out completely either: the needles drop quickly and do not grow back.
- Air. Rosemary likes ventilation. In a stuffy room it is more prone to powdery mildew.
- Feeding. From spring to late summer, every 3–4 weeks with a weak balanced fertiliser. Too much nitrogen weakens the aroma.
- Pruning. Pinch out shoot tips regularly for a bushier plant. Do not cut old woody branches back to stumps: rosemary rarely resprouts from bare wood.
Getting through winter
Winter is the hardest period. In a warm flat with radiators, rosemary gets shade, dry air and warmth all at once — a combination it never meets in nature. The ideal winter spot is bright and cool at 5–12 °C: a glazed loggia, a veranda, a cold stairwell with a window. Water rarely at this time, just enough to keep the root ball from drying out.
Outdoors most varieties survive short frosts down to about −10 °C, while Ukrainian winters can be much colder. So in the garden rosemary is usually grown in containers: the pot stays outside in summer and comes indoors in autumn before the first frosts. In the south of the country shrubs sometimes survive winter in a sheltered spot under a cover, but there are no guarantees.
Why rosemary dries out
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- Overwatering. The most common cause. The roots rot, and the plant looks as if it lacks water. Check the soil with a finger: if it is wet but the plant is drying, the roots are the problem.
- Drying out. If the root ball dries completely, rosemary sheds its leaves within days.
- Too little light. Shoots stretch, leaves turn pale, the aroma fades.
- Dry warm air in winter. These conditions bring spider mites and whiteflies. Check the undersides of leaves and rinse the plant under a lukewarm shower.
- Powdery mildew. A white coating on the leaves means the plant needs more air circulation.
How to propagate from cuttings
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- In late spring or summer, cut shoot tips 10–15 cm long.
- Strip the leaves from the lower half of each cutting.
- Root the cuttings in a moist mix of sand and peat, or in water. Roots usually appear in 3–6 weeks.
- Pot the rooted cuttings individually and keep them out of direct midday sun at first.
Rosemary can also be grown from seed, but germination is slow and uneven and seedlings grow slowly, so cuttings are the most reliable method.
Harvesting and using rosemary
Cut sprigs with sharp scissors, leaving at least two-thirds of each branch. Fresh rosemary keeps for about a week in the fridge, and dried rosemary for up to a year in a closed jar. It goes with roast potatoes, meat, vegetables, focaccia and marinades. Read more about kitchen herbs in our guide to spices and herbs, and find ideas for a green corner in the kitchen in our article on kitchen houseplants.
Rosemary has long been used in floristry too. In Europe its sprigs were traditionally added to wedding bouquets and wreaths as a symbol of fidelity and remembrance, and in Australia and New Zealand people wear it on ANZAC Day in memory of the fallen. A sprig of rosemary in a bouquet with roses or lavender adds fragrance and soft silvery greenery.
Note: rosemary is safe in culinary amounts, but essential oil is a concentrated product — it is not taken internally or used without medical advice. The plant itself is not considered toxic to cats and dogs, but it is still best not to let pets chew it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow rosemary from a supermarket sprig?
Sometimes, if the sprig is fresh and not too woody. Strip the lower leaves and stand it in water on a bright window — some sprigs will root within a few weeks.
Why are my rosemary leaves turning black and falling?
Most often because of overwatering and root rot, less often because of drying out or a winter spent somewhere too warm and dark.
How often should I water rosemary in winter?
Less often than in summer: in a cool spot, roughly every 1–2 weeks, guided by the soil moisture rather than the calendar.
Does rosemary flower indoors?
Yes, with good light and a cool winter it flowers in late winter or spring with small blue blooms.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
