Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) is an evergreen perennial aromatic shrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family native to the Mediterranean, northwestern Spain, and Portugal. There it grows into a 4- to 6-foot-tall shrub.
The name Rosmarinus is derived from the Latin word “ros maris“, meaning sea dew, from the appearance of dew created by sea spray on plants that grow near water. Later it was named the rosemary or Rose of Mary, in reverence of the Virgin Mary. There are different legends or stories to describe this relationship.
The genus Rosmarinus includes 3 different species[1] (Rosmarinus tomentosus, Rosmarinus eryocalix, and Rosmarinus officinalis). Rosemary has a greenish-gray appearance. The leathery and thick leaves are needle-shaped, with a deep green upper part and a powdery white glabrous underside.
The small, light blue, white, or pink flowers grow in groups of 2 or 3 along the branches. In temperate climates, the flowering time is usually between mid-March and the end of May.
