Rosemary, Not Just Another Herb, the Herb of Remembrance

Before too much longer you will be seeing Rosemary plants everywhere. They make great gifts during the holidays. But did you know that Rosemary isn't just a pretty plant? Rosemary is called an herb, an herb that having a poetic, romantic nature.

Of all the herbs valued by the ancients, Rosemary was perhaps the most versatile and beloved. Growing on the swept headlands of the Mediterranean, Rosemary was called ros marinus, "dew of the sea." The fragrance arose from the hedges and borders of walled gardens in Egypt and Spain from festive garlands worn by the Greeks and when burned at sacrifices or strewn on floors. Rosemary is truly the herb of remembrance-the queen of any garden. Bet you didn't know that.

I love herbs, using them as seasoning or in craft projects and reading about there past. I even just set them around the house in glass bowls and when I walk by, I crumble some and the fragrance comes out. But the one thing I find fascinating is the history of herbs and Rosemary is one of the greats. I would like to tell you about Rosemary and I bet you will find this fascinating and a lot you didn't know.

Rosemary has a rich history of tales of every kind. Would you braid sprigs into your hair to help remember things, as did students in ancient Greece? They believed it would help them remember as they studied for exams. It seem like everything was taken pretty seriously in the Middle Ages- especially dreams and demons! Back then Rosemary could be found under many a pillow to guard the night and ward off evil spirits! You might try winning the heart of your beloved by brushing a fresh sprig of Rosemary against his or her finger; you'll certainly be remembered! And, at every wedding, whether elegant or simple, every bride wore a wreath headdress woven with Rosemary; and dipped sprigs in scented waters for their bridal bouquets.

Families placed Rosemary with mourning hearts into the hands of departed loved ones as a sign their life on earth would not be forgotten.

In 1525, Bankes lauded Rosemary in Herbal, the first book devoted entirely to herbs, "Take the flowers thereof and boyle them in fayre water and drinke...for it is much worthe against all manner of evils in the body."

Besides all the legends, superstitions and myriad historical uses, Rosemary is best known as a symbol of remembrance, friendship and love. I don't know anyone who doesn't cherish Rosemary once they have experienced all her virtues. St. Thomas More once said, "I left it runne all over my garden wall, not onlie because my bees love it, but because "tis the herb sacred to remembrance, and therefore to friendship."

Rosemary' needle-like green leaves, along with scaly, ashy bark, account for their poetic resemblance to gray-green sea mists. And the flowers are small (about ½") and grow in clusters of 2 or 3 along the branches. They range in color from pale blue to dark blue, with an occasional white or pink variety. The story goes that all Rosemary flowers were once white, but changed to blue when the Virgin Mary hung her cloak on a bush while fleeing from Herod's soldiers with the Christ child.

Most of the varieties bloom, December through spring. Tuscan Blue and Beneden Blue begin flowering in February, and Majorca Pink and the kinds that droop bloom almost continuously. Rosemary grows 5-6 ft. outdoors; 2 to 4 ½ ft. indoors.

Another story reports Rosemary will grow no higher than 33 ft. so as to not stand taller than Christ.

The medical side of Rosemary is known to almost do everything. Rosemary us purported to help with depression, headaches, and muscle spasms. An ointment made from oil of Rosemary, applied eternally, is said to relive suffering from rheumatism, sores, eczema, bruises, wounds, etc. But do these really work? Maybe, oil of Rosemary is an active ingredient in rubefacient liniments. Rubefacient causes a redness of the skin. Mixture of Rosemary leaves and Juniper berries were burned in French hospitals during World War II to kill germs. Strange, right? Well, research has found that rosemary oil does indeed have effects that helps fight bacterial.

Also Rosemary in stimulating lotions increases circulation under the skin; in hot baths Rosemary promises to refresh the body too. Bankes said in his Herbal, "Also if thou be feeble boyle the leaves in clene water and washe thyself and thou shalt wax shiny."

Steep a sprig of Rosemary in 1 cup of boiling water 5-10 minutes to make a rinse to brighten brunette hair. Just work it into your hair after you shampoo.

Well, even a simple thing as an herb can be a fascinating read even if just to see what people just like you and I, believed would work from warding off evil to rinsing your hair.