Rosemary, Herbal Notes
Shakespeare's famous lines for the ill-fated Orphelia are well-known. Often, however, it is not Orphelia who is remembered' for her haunting speech but that the herb rosemary means remembrance. And indeed, who could forget the pine-like scent of rosemary? Its fresh and striking perfume reminds us of the aromatic aromas of Christmas. Rosemary is often associated with Christmas because legend states that the plant only grew for 33 years (the age of Christ), and either stopped growing at that point, or died. As it hails from the Mediterranean, it was in all probability strewn about to refresh musty homes and stables. Wealthy Victorians often used sprigs of rosemary, among other herbs, in tissue mussies or hand-held bouquets when walking in the (odorous) streets of London to avoid the spread of sickness.
My present-day use of rosemary is to remove the smell of garlic from my fingers, after cutting up several cloves for use in spaghetti sauces or pizzas. Its effectiveness is second to none, except perhaps 'lemony-fresh' Sunlight dishwashing detergent. Luckily, a pot of rosemary does exceedingly well in my house., which is neither too hot or dry, or too cold or damp.
My potted rosemary is the variety, 'Arp'. This is a supposedly border-line hardy variety for northern climes. It has a creeping habit, but tends to grow more upright, depending on the container in which it is grown. For three Decembers now, this plant has bloomed near Christmas. Having spent the summer outdoors in a dry and hot spot (I try to imitate its Mediterranean conditions, but I am hard pressed in Newfoundland).
Growing rosemary indoors: I bring a potted plant indoors in mid-September, in order for it to slowly adjust to less light and warmer temperatures. I do not repot it, but I do top up the soil.
The diluted fish emulsion it received sparingly in the summer, ends in the fall. This year (2001) it has budded up later than usual, but I expect the white buds to bring lavender blue flowers by early January at the latest. They say that ‘where rosemary blooms the wife is the boss.' Hmmm....
I have propagated rosemary by rooting stem cuttings in water. They root best if cut in the summer; the cuttings in the fall are quite slow to root. Simply placing cuttings in rooting hormone is much faster if you want to give plants to friends. I have a friend who roots cuttings of rosemary that she buys at the local supermarket.
Rosmarinus officinalis comes from ros, meaning dew, and marinus meaning of the sea.* One legend has it that the Queen of Hungary bathed in the essence of rosemary daily and was so beautiful at 72 that the enchanted King of Poland begged for her hand. Lucky her! Many herb books that I consulted do claim rosemary's importance as a hair rinse, skin toner, and remedy for headaches (all used externally of course). I personally enjoy rosemary on chicken, potatoes, and in soups. Sprigs of rosemary are an especially unique and lovely addition to fresh floral arrangements, wreaths, and tissue mussies.
Cynthia Boyd