In terms of botanical popularity, the herb Rosemary is a tough plant to beat. The appearance of Rosemary is well documented throughout history, where it was used by many ancient civilizations. In addition, its inclusion in modern popular culture, including song (who even remembers the parsley, sage or thyme?) and verse, indicate that it’s appeal has not waned over time. The very name, Rosemary, dates back to a legend, in which the Virgin Mary spread the cloak she was wearing out over a Rosemary bush and as a result, the flowers of the bush turned blue, like her cape. It is believed that from that point on, the plant was referred to as “Rose of Mary”, or Rosemary. In fact, the plant may have inspired the popularity of the woman’s name, Rosemary, beginning in the 19th century, which indicates that the classic herb is here to stay. But despite our long love affair with the fragrant plant, there are still many myths about the herb that most of us have in our homes right now. 

It can be true that many herbs, whether fresh or dried, can be rather expensive to purchase. Luckily, it is a common myth that herbs are too delicate or difficult to grown on ones own. In fact, Rosemary is quite an easy plant to grow in nearly any garden situation. It can be grown indoors by a window, or outdoors in the yard anywhere the temperature averages above 20 degrees. In fact, simply growing Rosemary in your yard has a wonderful side benefit. The oil found naturally in the plant although very pleasant to humans, is found to repel mosquitoes. In addition, cats are equally as discouraged by the scent of the Rosemary plant. By strategically growing or keeping plant clippings in specific areas, Rosemary can be useful in keeping neighbors outdoor cats away from your yard or from keeping your own cat or kitten away from certain areas or delicate items indoors. Turning to the natural Rosemary plant to manage creatures, both welcome and unwelcome, in your home and garden is just the beginning of how the plant can benefit nearly anyone.

Although it is one of the most common cooking herbs, many haven’t properly explored all of wonderful culinary and related health benefits for Rosemary. Although many think of only the green leaves of the Rosemary plant when cooking, it is a myth that the entire plant can’t be utilized in creating a delicious dish. By simply stripping a sprig of Rosemary of it’s “needles” or leaves, the remaining stems make wonderful skewers for vegetable, meat or cheese kabobs. The added flavor enhances so many foods and is often more interesting than the traditional, plain bamboo or metal skewers. And although most think the culinary benefits of Rosemary end there, they also pack a nice punch of mineral, iron, calcium and fiber when added to a dish. In addition ingesting, Rosemary is believed to have positive effects on improving memory in humans.

It’s true that Rosemary’s use in the kitchen is undoubtedly one of it’s best applications, but what many do not realize, is that its advantages include a number of creative household uses as well. Owning to their lovely pine-like fragrance, Rosemary sprigs and needles can be used in a variety of ways for their aromatic properties. Including sprigs of dried Rosemary in a fireplace is just the beginning of the ways it’s aroma can be used. There are also believed to be health properties that can be enjoyed by incorporating Rosemary into ones daily life. Rinsing the scalp and hair in water that had Rosemary boiled in it, will reduce dandruff and may encourage hair re-growth. Boiling it in water can be inhaled to help remedy symptoms of the common cold. The myth that Rosemary simply belongs in the kitchen spice cabinet is truly a waste of so many of the plant’s wonderful properties.

In fact, it was because of all of these wonderful properties that Rosemary was used by nearly every ancient civilization. Over time, Egyptians, Romans and Greeks used Rosemary in ways ranging from spiritual ceremonies and headdresses to tucking sprigs into coffins to symbolize remembrance. In the Middle Ages, the herb continued to be a common part of life as Rosemary wine became widely used to heal respiratory problems and as a proactive way of avoiding the Plague. In France, Rosemary became known as “the healing herb” and it was frequently hung in hospitals. Napoleon Bonepart himself enjoyed burning sprigs of the herb as incense to keep good health. 

Contrary to the popular myth, Rosemary is not just a simple bottled, dry herb we often allow to gather dust in a kitchen cabinet. The fact is that this plant has many wonderful benefits that have improved many lives. From a simple herb, comes inspiration in so many forms. Over time we have learned more and more about this plant and continue to find new and creative ways to make use of Rosemary in our lives.