Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

Woody Mediterranean herb with needle-like aromatic leaves. Needs full sun and excellent drainage.

Hardiness ratings

Rosemary hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 7–11 −17.8 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H4 −10 °C to −5 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 7–9 −12 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 3–6 −5 °C to 15 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

About Rosemary

Rosemary is a Mediterranean shrub, and almost every difficulty gardeners have with it traces back to that. It evolved on thin, sharply drained hillsides with dry summers, so it resents wet feet far more than it resents cold or poor soil. Botanists formally moved it into the genus Salvia in 2017, making it a sage, though the old name Rosmarinus officinalis is still what most nurseries print. The name comes from the Latin for "dew of the sea", a reference to the coastal cliffs where it grows wild. Old plants become woody and sparse at the base; they rarely resprout from bare wood.

Growing notes

  • Hates winter wet and high humidity
  • Drought tolerant once mature

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Rosemary against your zones

Reference

Rosemary on Wikipedia