Herb Finder
Add Herb Finder to Your Website!
Update Your Account Information
Rosemary Plant | | Name : | Rosemary Plant | | Synonyms : | Gardenrosemary
Mi-tieh-hsiang(Chinese name)
Rosemaryplant
| | Parts Used : | Leaves and flowers | | Habitat : | Originated in the Mediterranean are and is now widely cultivatedfor its aromatic leaves and as a kitchen seasoning. | | Description : | Rosemary is an evergreen shrub with numerous branches; ash-colored.scaly bark and bears opposite, leathery, thick leaves which are lustrousand dark green above and downy white underneath. They have a prominentvein in the middle and margins which are rolled down. The pale blue,sometimes white, relatively small, flowers grow in short axillaryracemes, arranged in false whorls on the upper parts of the branches,blooming during April and May, or later in cooler climates. Zone 5.
Because it is not winter-hardy, it seldom succeeds in finding a homein the gardens north of Florida and southern California, but it isfrequently grown in flower pots. Rosemary needs an alkaline soil ina sunny, well-drained spot. To harvest, cut 4-inch sections from thetip of the plant.
Varieties of rosemary: Prostratus, Collingwood Ingram, Tuscan blue,Arp, Hardy Hill. | | Constituents : | Stimulant, diaphoretic, carminative, nervine, aromatic, cephalicantispasmodic. | | Uses : | A fine tonic for the scalp and skin, adds luster to the hair andis a common ingredient of many commercial shampoos.
A valuable heart and liver tonic and also helps reduce highblood pressure. Used to treat 'nerves', digestivedisorders, palsy, weak memory, dizziness, migraine,dandruff, stimulates hairgrowth, restore appetite,gas, clears sight, jaundice,consumption, and menstrualpains.
An old fashioned remedy for colds,colic, and nervous conditions.Very good for headaches. Shouldbe taken warm for these complaints.
It acts to raise blood pressure and improve circulation.
Good as a mouthwash for badbreath, gums, andsore throat. Aids digestion,cough, consumption, and strengthens the eyes.
Because of the real danger of poisoning, rosemary is more often usedexternally. Leaves cooked in wine or a salve made from rosemary oilis useful for rheumatism,sores, eczema,bruises, age spots, marksand scars, and wounds.
An infusion of the leaves has also been used, alone or with borax,as a scalp wash to prevent baldness.
The leaves are used for flavoring. The oil is used as a perfume forointments and liniments. Is reported to prevent premature baldness.
Today, rosemary is still regarded as an antidote to mental fatigueand forgetfulness. A tisane (tea) of this herb is becoming popularwith tired businessmen and students who find it refreshing and a goodnatural remedy for bringing added agility to the intellect. | | Dosage : | Infusion: steep 1 tsp. dried flowering tops or leaves in 1/2cup water. Take up to 1 cup per day.
Tea: prepare ordinary tea, put a pinch of ground ginger inthe drink for variety. Drink 3 or 4 cups per day.
Tincture: a dose is from 5 to 20 drops. | | Safety : | Excessive amounts of rosemary taken internally can cause fatal poisoning.
Rosemary oil may not be taken internally, because it irritates thestomach, intestinal tract, and kidneys.
Pregnant women should not drink rosemary tea. | | Myths : | In the sixth century Charlemagne decreed that rosemary should begrown in all the imperial gardens, and it was beloved by the Romanslong before that. Romans made crowns and garlands of Rosemary. Centurieslater, Anne of Cleves, bride of King Henry VIII, 'wore on her heada circlet of gold and precious stones set full with dainty twigs ofRosemary.'
In Queen Elizabeth's time, this herb was considered an emblem offidelity to lovers and was worn at weddings, funerals, and to giveto friends.
They were used in sick rooms to 'correct the air' when infectionswere present. The dried leaves were shredded and used in a pipe liketobacco to help a cough. Used in herbal or tobacco mixtures in England,where smoking was first introduced by Sir Walter Raleigh. The ashesof burnt Rosemary was rubbed on loose teeth to fasten and beautify.
Rosemary's name is derived from its Latin name Rosmarinus, meaning'dew of the sea' and referring to its blue flowers or to the factthat this herb thrives by the seashore, especially in Spain whereits thick growth covers the cliffs.
To explain the range in the color of rosemary's flowers from a palebluish-white to a deep blue, Christian legend claims that flowerswere originally white but were turned varying shade of blue when Maryhung her blue cloak over a rosemary bush. Since the rosemary plantseldom grows higher than a man's height, it was believed that rosemarygrew to the height of Christ in 33 years, and after that it grew thickerbut not higher.
13th century manuscript: If the leaves be put beneath your pillow,you will be well protected from troublesome dreams and all mentalanxiety. Used as a lotion, this herb or its oil will cure all painsin the head, and a spoonful of the herb mixed with honey and meltedbutter cannot but help your coughing.
Rosemary was taken by the Roman Empire to China during the reignof Wenti of the Wei dynasty (452 AD). Valued for its fragrance, itwas used in perfume, and when burned it was supposed to drive awaydemons and mosquitoes.
Through the ages, many legends have been woven about many plants,but probably none as fanciful as those of rosemary. Most of the followinglegends were from sources more than 300 years old:
'Old English belief: where Rosemary flourishes, woman rules.'
'See the Rosemary in vinegar or wine, and let a thief wash his feettherein, and he shall neither rob, steale, nor fright any man.'
'Lay Rosemary on thy pillow, to keepe thee from all evill dreams.'
'To be delivered from all evills, boyle the leaves of Rosemary instrong vinegar and apply them to thy stomach.' | | Sold : | Sold commercially as a spice. |
|
|
