Sun; nearly evergreen, with fragrant, needle-like leaves and clusters of branches held upright like skewers. Lavender-blue blooms may appear any time of year. Rosemary is a terrific perennial for the Texas climate, and can be grown as a ground cover, an evergreen hedge, or a specimen depending on the variety. The leaves are used as seasonings for chicken, stews and soup.
A sprig of rosemary was long carried both in weddings and in remembrance of the dead; in ancient Greece students wore it as a garland to aid memory.
None required, but can be pruned or hedged back as it can grow large. Rosemary endures hot sun and poor soil once established; too much water can cause root rot.
Rosemary is normally strongly evergreen in south-central Texas, but many, even mature specimens, were severely damaged in the extended freeze of 2021. Severely damaged plants may eventually recover from the base, but can also be replaced as they tend to grow swiftly.
