Rosemary

One of the best–known and loved herbs, versatile rosemary is a member of the mint family, and has been grown through the centuries for culinary, medicinal, and decorative uses. It is renowned for the fragrance of its foliage, and has a long history as the herb of remembrance, and is used to improve brainpower and failing memory.

This bushy, evergreen shrub thrives in a Mediterranean-style climate, and in the right conditions grows to around 5 ft (1.5 m). Its long narrow, shiny, leathery leaves are deep green on top, and pale, almost silvery gray, underneath. The flowers are small, pale to dark blue, and the whole plant is very aromatic if bruised, as the leaves are rich in volatile oils.

In the kitchen, fresh chopped rosemary leaves or sprigs are added to meat dishes (especially lamb or chicken), and to flavor baked potatoes, and other root vegetables. It makes a delicious addition to sauces, soups like minestrone, and stews. The leaves can also be added to biscuits, salads and fruit salads, pickles, vegetable juices, punches and liqueurs, and for making fragrant vinegars and infused oils.

The best essential oil is distilled from the flowering tips and leaves, but sometimes the whole plant is used, resulting in a much inferior oil. The perfume is sharp and penetrating, and blends well with basil, bergamot, cedarwood, all citrus oils, lavender, and peppermint.

Uses: Herb, Essential Oil

Taken as tea, rosemary seems to relieve headaches in the same way that aspirin does, but without irritating the stomach. It can also soothe an upset digestive system where there is flatulence and poor liver function.

Rosemary leaves and flowers are added to ointment blends to fight bacterial and fungal infections, heal cuts, sores, stings, and bites.

A strong astringent, rosemary oil is useful to help contract and tone skin that is loose and sagging. It kills bacteria, and prevents or destroys fungal infections, making it a good oil to treat acne, dermatitis, eczema, athlete’s foot, and scabies.

It’s an excellent hair and scalp treatment, which is why it’s a good idea to include rosemary in shampoo, rinses, and hair tonic, where it will control dandruff, greasy hair, and oily scalp. It is also used in treatments for head lice.

Use rosemary in baths and massage oils to ease the pain of aching muscles, arthritis, bruises, neuralgia, gout, rheumatism, and sport injuries such as sprains and strains.

Restorative rosemary tea slipped in ¼ cup amounts four times a day for one week is a good tonic, and helps ease digestive problems such as colitis, indigestion, flatulence, and cramps and spasms in the intestines.

It has a reputation for having a tonic effect on the lungs, which is useful when treating asthma, bronchitis, colds, coughs, and whooping cough – sip ¼ cup rosemary tea four times a day for one week.

As an aromatic, rosemary is used in potpourri for scenting clothing or linen, and deterring moths. The stripped stems can be burned on a barbeque or in the fireplace.

Caution: Drink no more than one cup of rosemary tea daily for no longer than one week. Not to be sued during pregnancy. Avoid if you suffer from epilepsy.