Rosemary Plant Care

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) belongs to the Lamiaceae family within the Salvia genus. Rosemary is native to Africa, Europe, Western Asia, Mediterranean. Rosemary is also known as Compass Plant, Incensier, Polar Plant.

Rosemary displays an upright, spreading growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Rosemary produces the petite flowers exhibit blue, lavender, or white hues, featuring a distinctive two-lipped structure arranged around the square stems..

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Rosemary every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Rosemary thrives in full sun.

Salvia rosmarinus tolerates temperatures of 45–80°F. Rosemary prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining. Good drainage is essential for Rosemary to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Rosemary every 7 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Rosemary is suited to USDA Zone 7a – 10b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Rosemary can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 3 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Rosemary while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Rosemary is hardy down to USDA zone 7a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Rosemary can be propagated through stem cuttings, division. Similar propagation techniques also apply to sage plant plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Rosemary is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Rosemary grows outdoors in USDA Zone 7a – 10b. It survives winters down to planting zone 7a. Rosemary is native to Africa, Europe, Western Asia, Mediterranean.