We spent all last week in the garden, clipping the last of the herbs for winter preservation and pulling out the remaining plants from the vegetable garden. It is always a bitter sweet time for me as I am ready for the break that winter brings, but sad that I don't have access to my fresh herbs and vegetables. With that in mind I wanted to cover one last common garden herb before I begin my winter favorite herbs and foods for boosting the immune system and bringing relief from common winter ailments.
Rosmarinus officinalis
Family: Labiatae (Lamiaceae) mint family
Rosemary has always been a favorite of mine, long before I even knew what to do with it. I am really drawn to the scent of rosemary and love to just rub my fingers along the sprigs and inhale deeply the aromatic essence this plants gives off. Now that I know more about the properties this plant has and how important it has been throughout history for healing, I love it even more!
Family: Labiatae (Lamiaceae) mint family
Rosemary has always been a favorite of mine, long before I even knew what to do with it. I am really drawn to the scent of rosemary and love to just rub my fingers along the sprigs and inhale deeply the aromatic essence this plants gives off. Now that I know more about the properties this plant has and how important it has been throughout history for healing, I love it even more!
Properties
- antibacterial
- antiseptic
- antifungal
- antioxidant
- antispasmodic
- astringent
- carminative
- cholagogue
- emmenagogue
- nervine
- rubefacient
- mild analgesic
- mild stimulant
Beauty and Personal Care
- hair tonic
- stimulates circulation to scalp, encouraging hair growth
- helps with dandruff and itchy scalp
- can darken gray hairs in brunettes (use with sage for best results)
- improves skin tone
- use for oily to normal skin
- cell regeneration
Medicinal Uses
- brain tonic, improves concentration and memory (Rosemary is after all the "herb of remembrance")
- improves circulation, invigorating, energy booster
- headache and migraines
- canker sores, gum inflammation, mouth sores (gargle with tea)
- depression, uplifts the spirits
- arthritis, rheumatism, and joint damage
- digestive aid
- slows the growth of bacteria which makes it a great preservative and infection fighter
- aids cardiovascular system, poor circulation, low blood pressure, and anemia
- cold and flu
- respiratory and sinus congestion
- liver and gall bladder support
- muscle and nerve pain
- mild pain reliever
- menstrual pain, PMS
- bruising and varicose veins
- calming
Methods of Use
- fresh sprigs - put in baths, burn as incense, or lay on beds, under pillows, etc.
- baths
- steam and foot soak
- infusion (tea)
- hydrosol
- herbal honey
- tincture, glycerite, vinegar
- herbal infused oil
- salve, ointment, balm
- herbal sachet
- herbal sprinkle, capsule or pill
- cooking, marinating meat will slow spoilage, add to salads, rice, sauces, potatoes, any meat dish, pesto, etc.
- essential oil
In the Garden
- Loves rich, fertile soil in full sun.
- Propagate from root cuttings or purchase a transplant from the nursery and plant after the last frost.
- Rosemary can be a picky little thing so do not let the soil dry out or have too much moisture, I have lost plants to both. Because it is native to the Mediterranean rosemary likes it hot yet moist, so it is a good idea to mist the leaves weekly.
- Although I have yet to have a rosemary plant survive our Northern Utah winter, I still go for it every year by covering it with a thick layer of mulch. Rosemary can also be put in a pot and brought in during the winter, I however do not do well with indoor plants, nor do I have the space for them so I have never done this.
Recipes
Rosemary Lavender Body Scrub
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Garden Herbal Sprinkle
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Respiratory Honey
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Resources
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If you don't have any rosemary (yet?) and want to utilize it's amazing properties you can purchase high quality, organic dried rosemary from Mountain Rose Herbs or Bulk Herb Store.
