Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)

It requires any well drained soil in full sun. It forms low arching branches, bearing blue rosemary flowers from about May onwards. Pinch the tips to keep it bushy and provide fresh herbs for the kitchen. If the plant does require pruning, it is better to do this little and often to avoid cutting into the old wood, which can sometimes cause dieback. It is an excellent coastal plant.

This plant is susceptible to powdery mildew which is an endemic air-born fungal. It is easy to treat and we recommend the following action is taken as soon as you notice the white powdery residue on the leaves (usually worst in the inner part of the plant). Give the plant a good clip, removing as much of the affected parts as possible without cutting too hard into the central branch structure. Clean up thoroughly and remove all rubbish from the area then spray with a general purpose ready to use systemic fungicide, one that contains myclobutanil. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully and repeat treatments as necessary. This protects and cures and so can be used regularly if needed.

N.B. When clipping several plants with the same tool, have a bucket containing a 5% bleach solution and swish your blades around for 30 seconds between plants to sterilise them. This will help avoid the chance of cross contamination of disease.

As with all woody plants, plant high, exposing as much of the taper at the base of the trunk as possible. Allowing soil to accumulate round the base of a tree can be fatal. Keep very well watered when first planted.

Hardiness level Amber

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IF IT HAS A AMBER TRAFFIC LIGHT

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Hardy in the Home Counties if sensibly sited (avoiding severe frost pockets, for example). Many Amber Labelled Plants are from cuttings from well-established plants that have survived many harsh winters in the South-East.

This is only meant as a guide. Please remember we're always on hand to give advice about plants and their frost hardiness.

Please remember that these coloured labels are only a rough guide.

General Point about Plant Hardiness: The commonly held belief that it's better to 'plant small' is perfectly true with herbaceous plants, but not necessarily true with woody plants. They need some 'wood' on them to survive severe cold - so plants of marginal hardiness in very cold areas should really be planted LARGER, rather than smaller, wherever possible.