This common garden herb has a myriad of uses, a rich smell and an even richer history.
Whether you’ve rubbed rosemary on poultry prior to roasting, mixed the herb’s essential oil into a warm bath, included the plant in your spa’s treatments or used its flowering sprigs for decor, you’re no doubt familiar with the needle-like leaves of this aromatic evergreen. Rosemary’s name, derived from the Latin ros and marinus, translates to “dew of the sea”—and sure enough, the Mediterranean perennial grows abundantly on seaside cliffs.
Rosemary is a member of the mint family, and if pruned and planted outdoors, it can grow up to six feet tall. The herb can also be potted and grown indoors, as long as it has access to plenty of natural light. Pale-blue, sometimes lilac, flowers typically bloom on the evergreen in late spring or early summer, depending on the climate. Although rosemary is considered a common herb—a staple in seasoning racks and home gardens—the plant’s history is more deeply rooted than one might realize.
Read the full story in the May DAYSPA digital edition!
