Cultivated for over 5,000 years, rosemary plant history is understandably steeped in legend, myth and folklore. Rosemary herbal uses run the gamut of medicinal remedies, culinary delights or even as a love charm. It’s really no wonder why its stimulating aroma and flavour has continued to enchant people for centuries.
History of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) has been used medicinally dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans in 500 BC Dried sprigs of rosemary even showed up in Egyptian tombs from 3,000 BC.
Rosemary was cultivated by the Spanish in the 13th century where it became a popular condiment for salted meats from the 15th to 18th centuries. The genus name, Rosmarinus, is derived from the Latin for ‘dew’ (ros) and ‘belonging to the sea’ (marinus) in reference to the warm Mediterranean region of its origin.
Legend has it that the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, as she fled from Egypt, sheltered next to a rosemary bush. She threw her blue cape onto the bush and the white flowers turned blue. Because of this, the herb has long been called ‘rose of Mary’ even if the blooms look nothing like a rose but are rather more like the mint flowers to which rosemary is related.
Rosemary is associated with remembrance. Its earliest use was probably by Greek students. They braided garlands of the aromatic herb into their hair, which is where rosemary’s other common name ‘herb of crowns’ comes from. Rosemary is also symbolic of fidelity.
During the Middle Ages a bride would wear rosemary in her headpiece and the groom and guests would wear a sprig as well. Really prosperous wedding goers might receive a rosemary branch gilt in gold. The newlyweds would plant rosemary on their wedding day in the hopes that it would be a good omen for their future.
Rosemary’s medicinal history spans centuries and was probably first used for respiratory issues. During the 13th century, the Queen of Hungary apparently was paralysed, but a concoction of rosemary and wine made her better. In successive years, rosemary was used to treat the Plague, melancholy, gout, epilepsy, arthritis and many other ills.
Today the herb is still used by many as a tea to treat sore throats, head colds and to freshen bad breath. Rosemary blooms prolifically at the leaf axils on last year’s wood. Abundant tiny flowers arrive in shades of white, rose, purple, and blue, depending on the cultivar.
A Mediterranean herb of the mint family, rosemary is favoured by many bees and butterflies. Rosemary is strong and beautiful. Once established, this tough plant requires little additional water. Aromatherapy has been around for centuries, if not millennia. Rosemary is among the top essential oils used for its powerful aromatherapy benefits.
Historically, in the Victorian Language of Flowers, rosemary symbolizes remembrance. In fact, studies show that inhaling the fragrance of rosemary aids memory, brain health, and cognitive function. The culinary uses for rosemary are vast.
Possibly, the most familiar is for flavouring poultry dishes and stuffing. Rosemary imparts its lively pungent aroma into many popular meat dishes as well.
Back to Index