Native of the Mediterranean, growing well by the sea, in full sun on a variety of well-drained soils. Used as a culinary herb, but also in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Normally an erect, bushy shrub, with dark green, narrow evergreen leaves, silvery white underneath, but this is hidden as the leaves are rolled inwards, part of a mechanism to reduce water loss. Flowers normally blue to white, normally in spring, but can be flowering sporadically throughout the year. Many cultivated forms are available, included some lower growing, prostrate shapes, enhanced flower colours, including pink flowered, larger leaved, different scents, like ginger in S. rosmarinus 'Green Ginger'.
One of the very best plants to draw insect life into a dry garden, rosemary provide copious nectar for honeybees, bumblebees, hoverflies, butterflies and a whole lot more. Day-flying moths such as silver-Ys and hummingbird hawk-moths, which visit our gardens in summer after migrating here from the continent, may attend a flowering plant in profusion. Most bushes also support rosemary beetles: while their grubs will nibble the leaves, plants are not harmed, and the beetle is a beautiful garden adornment in its own right. If using the leaves in cooking, you will want to ensure any beetles are knocked off beforehand!
All Rosmarinus have now been renamed under Salvia.