Rosemary
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 Rosemary in flower
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| Rosmarinus officinalis L.[1] |
Rosemary is the common name for a woody, perennial herbaceous plant, Rosmarinus officinalis, characterized by fragrant, evergreen needle-like leaves and light blue, violet, or pink flowers. The name also refers specifically to the aromatic leaves of this plant, which are used as a herb for seasoning various dishes and used in perfumes. A member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, it is native to the Mediterranean region.
Rosemary is widely cultivated for culinary and medicinal use, and its aromatic properties are used to scent cosmetics. As a herb to flavor food, it is used in a wide variety of dishes, including as a meat seasoning (lamb, poultry), to add flavor to soups and vegetables, and in fruit salads, dressings, and stuffings. As reflected by the name officinalis, it is known as a medicinal herb, used to ***** used by Queen Isabella of Hungary in the fourteenth century to treat gout and burned in sick rooms as a disinfectant.
Known as "herb of remembrance," rosemary has long been tied to legends and traditions. Pharaohs being buried with the herb in ancient EgyptGreek scholars using rosemary to aid study, and pharaohs being buried with the herb in ancient Egypt.Y such as young brides traditionally carrying a sprig of rosemary in wedding bouquets and wreaths, exchanged as a symbol of loyalty,
The name rosemary has nothing to do with the rose or the name Mary, but derives from the Latin name rosmarinus, which literally means "dew of the sea", though some think this too may be derived from an earlier name.
Description
Forms range from upright to trailing; the upright forms can reach 1.5 m (Template:Convert/LoffAonSoffAnd) tall, rarely 2 m (Template:Convert/LoffAonSoffAnd).
The leaves are evergreen, 2–4 cm (0.79–1.6 in) long and 2-5 mm broad, green above, and white below with dense short woolly hair.
The flowers appear in winter or spring and are variable in color, being white, pink, purple, or blue.
Cultivation
Since it is attractive and tolerates some degree of drought, it is also used in landscaping, especially in areas having a Mediterranean climate. It is considered easy to grow for beginner gardeners, and is pest-resistant.
Rosemary is easily pruned into shapes and has been used for topiary. When grown in pots, it is best kept trimmed to stop it getting straggly and unsightly, though when grown in a garden, rosemary can grow quite large and still be attractive. It can be propagated from an existing plant by clipping a shoot 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) long, stripping a few leaves from the bottom, and planting it directly into soil.
Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use. The following are frequently sold:
- Albus- white flowers
- Arp- leaves light green, lemon-scented
- Aureus- leaves speckled yellow
- Benenden Blue - leaves narrow, dark green tibak
- Blue Boy - dwarf, small leaves
- Golden Rain - leaves green, with yellow streaks
- Irene - lax, trailing
- Lockwood de Forest - procumbent selection from Tuscan Blue
- Ken Taylor - shrubby
- Majorica Pink - pink flowers
- Miss Jessop's Upright - tall, erect
- Pinkie - pink flowers
- Prostratus
- Pyramidalis (a.k.a Erectus) - pale blue flowers
- Roseus - pink flowers
- Salem - pale blue flowers, cold hardy similar to Arp
- Severn Sea - spreading, low-growing, with arching branches; flowers deep violet
- Tuscan Blue - upright
Usage
Culinary use
The fresh and dried leaves are used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine as a herb; they have a bitter, astringent taste, which complements a wide variety of foods. A tisane can also be made from them. When burned they give off a distinct mustard smell, as well as a smell similar to that of burning which can be used to flavor foods while barbecuing.
Rosemary is extremely high in iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6.[2]
Traditional use
Hungary Water was first prepared for the Queen of Hungary to "renovate vitality of paralyzed limbs" and to treat gout. It was used externally and prepared by mixing fresh rosemary tops into spirits of wine.[3]
Don Quixote (Chapter XVII, 1st volume) mixes it in his recipe of the miraculous balm of Fierabras with revolting results.
Rosemary has a very old reputation for improving memory, and has been used as a symbol for remembrance (during weddings, war commemorations and funerals) in Europe.[citation needed] Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." (Hamlet, iv. 5.) One modern study lends some credence to this reputation. When the smell of rosemary was pumped into cubicles where people were working, those people showed improved memory, though with slower recall.[4]
Potential medicinal use
The results of a study suggest that carnosic acid, found in rosemary, may shield the brain from free radicals, lowering the risk of strokes and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's.[5]
Rosemary contains a number of potentially biologically active compounds, including antioxidants such as carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. Other bioactive compounds include caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol, and rosmanol.
Health Precautions
Rosemary in culinary or therapeutic doses is generally safe; however, precaution is necessary for those displaying allergic reaction or prone to epileptic seizures. Rosemary essential oil may have epileptogenic properties, as a handful of case reports over the past century have linked its use with seizures in otherwise healthy adults or children.[6] Rosemary essential oil is potentially toxic if ingested. Large quantities of rosemary leaves can cause adverse reactions, such as coma, spasm, vomiting, and pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) that can be fatal. Avoid consuming large quantities of rosemary if pregnant or breastfeeding.[7]
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ Rosmarinus officinalis information from NPGS/GRIN. www.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
- ↑ Nutrition Facts - Rosemary.
- ↑ Rosemary at SuperbHerbs.net.
- ↑ Moss, M. and et al. (2003). Aromas of rosemary and lavender essential oils differentially affect cognition and mood in healthy adults. International Journal of Neuroscience 113 (1): 15–38.
- ↑ Burnham Institute for Medical Research (2007, November 2). Rosemary Chicken Protects Your Brain From Free Radicals. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 2, 2007, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071030102210.htm
- ↑ Burkhard, P. R. and et al. (1999). Plant-induced seizures: reappearance of an old problem. Journal of Neurology 246 (8): 667–670.
- ↑ Article at HealthComm.
Further reading
- Calabrese, V. and et al. (2000). Biochemical studies of a natural antioxidant isolated from rosemary and its application in cosmetic dermatology. International Journal of Tissue Reactions 22 (1): 5–13.
- Huang, M. T. and et al. (1994). Inhibition of skin tumorigenesis by rosemary and its constituents carnosol and ursolic acid. Cancer Research 54 (3): 701–708.
External links
- Rosemary List of Chemicals (Dr. Duke's)
- medicinal use: botanical.com
- medicinal dosage and precautions: healthcomm.com
- Antimicrobial benefits of rosemary and sage Scientist Live
- Rosemary for Remembrance
- History of Rosemary
Rosemary Sprig
Flower
A rosemary bush with many flowers
Leaves, the brighter side is the underside, and some have parts of young shoots or old stem attached
A shoot of the cultivar 'Irene'
A Rosemary bush at Longwood Gardens
From Koehler's Medicinal Plants, 1887
Close up of flower
Huge specimen in Sebastopol, CA, roughly 2.2 m in height
Macro (Closeup) shot of specimen in Titusville, FL
Rosemary potatoes
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