Creeping Rosemary, “Ros Marinus Officinalis” comes with the familiar trailing flower in a vibrant red bunch. It is a perennial herb that is also called Blue Robin. This evergreen perennial herb boasts aromatic, blue-green foliage which is used to season many foods. As a bi-annual low growing shrub it spreads quite rapidly and rarely grows above about 1-2″ tall.
As a biannual herb creeping Rosemary prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Pots should be kept shallow and potted annually in warm to dry weather as the leaves will wilt if placed in direct sunlight or in extremely hot temperatures. Pruning must be avoided as the vigorous growth of this perennial makes it hard to control.
In southern regions creeping Rosemary is ideal for creating beautiful border gardens. Growing from seed is very easy. In fact, it takes just three weeks from planting to flowering. The best way to propagate this fast growing herb is by splitting and adding new plants every two or three months. Propagation can be done by slicing, pruning cuttings or division of existing plants into smaller pieces.
The plant grows best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sunlight. It is an outdoor herb so care should be taken not to place it in direct sunlight or in areas experiencing intense frost. Planting depth should be three to four times deeper than the root system as the plant grows. The planting area should be covered with a variety of large stones or coir. The pots should be placed in a sunny location where morning sunshine can reach the entire plant over three to four days.
Mature plants reach a height of three to five feet but prefer a sunny location in southern deciduous climates. The colorful, trailing herb has lovely, long, dark green leaves which die to grey at the tips when they drop. The blooms peak in color around late summer, peaking of bright orange in early October. Rosemary thrives best in well-drained, acidic soil with good drainage.
The flowers grow up to six inches tall and have six tiny blue petals which point to the distinctive, evergreen leaves. Each small blue bloomer has three alike petals that grow up to three-thirds of the height. Small white-blue berries are enclosed in gray-green foliage that increases in size and number from year to year. These small berries have a strong, bitter flavor and are used in jams, jellies, salads, juices, soups, sauces, and more. The cascading flowers grow in tight, full, bushy growths and bloom for two years.
Pruning is essential for healthy growth and produces magnificent new growth. The vigorous growth encourages the spreading of the herb around the home. Rosemary makes a beautiful backdrop with its trailing Rosemary and crabgrass foliage, but it also adds interest to dead flowers that can be reused as vegetable compost. Mature plants require approximately one inch of water per week, but an average of one inch a week is perfect for healthy gardens. A well-drained soil with a light acid soil base is ideal; however, it is not necessary to use a soil test.
It is a perennial herb that is excellent for the landscaping of the home or garden. It can withstand drought, heat, frost, and drought. It can survive the winter frost without any damage, although its blooms and leaves may drop off. Rosemary thrives on a wide variety of soil conditions, but its true soil charm comes from being a perennial herb with great tolerance to most anything in the garden.
creeping Rosemary | herb | creeping Rosemary | pests | garden} This is a slow-growing herb that has wonderful culinary and medicinal attributes. As it grows up it forms beautiful blue-green flowers with the trailing Rosemary growing in dense masses. This herb is very tolerant to dry soil, but it needs at least three inches of water a week for an even healthy garden. Pests such as crabgrass, blue star thistle, and weed growth can be a problem if they take hold during the growing season, so this herb is also very beneficial as a natural bug repellent.