How to Distinguish Between Rosemary Varieties

Rosemary is an herb that is used in the kitchen as well as the garden. It is rugged, easy to grow and drought tolerant. Rosemary is used as ground covers, decorative trees and meat flavorings. But who would have thought there'd be so many different types of rosemary?

Instructions

1. Notice the larger dark blue flowers on the Tuscan Blue variety of Rosemary. This upright type grows to 6 feet tall, spreads out 5 feet wide and has an olive-colored leaf. Miss Jessop's upright grows to about 8 feet tall and spans up to 4 feet, with branches dipping once they've reached 2 feet. The flowers are a medium blue color and the olive-colored leaves are larger than other varieties.

2. Admire the Majorca Pink for its unique lavender pink flowers. This rosemary variety grows wider than it is tall. The leaves have a faded green color, and the plant grows out to create an open center. Blue Spire, another upright rosemary variety, also has a darker blue flower, and grows tall and straight about 6 feet.

3. Capture the simplicity of the Albus variety. Only growing to 3 feet, this rosemary type is round in shape and has white flowers. Ken Taylor can be found with bright lavender blue flowers and darker green leaves. This plant is a semi-upright used for ground cover. The vertical stems grow to 3 feet.

4. Observe the blooming dark blue flowers on the Collingwood Ingram, another semi-upright rosemary variety. This plant grows up to 5 feet, and spreads out to 6 feet. The basal branches turn upwards as they grow out. Prostratus, a ground hugger, has faded green leaves and lighter blue flowers. It grows to about 2 feet high.

5. Don't forget to acknowledge two other ground cover rosemary types. Huntington Carpet has massive, arching branches, lighter blue flowers, and grows to about 3 feet tall. Corsican Prostrate also grows out with arching branches, dark colored flowers and unique silver blue colored leaves.

Tips & Warnings

• Rosemary varieties are all kitchen and garden useful regardless of the type. Some are more attractive than others, but none are any less important. Choose the type that suits your taste.

• Rosemary leaves taste the best right before the flowers bloom.

• Rosemary grows best in sunlight, and can live for over 15 years.