Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

Salvia rosmarinus, commonly called rosemary and formerly classified as Rosmarinus officinalis, is an evergreen shrub of the mint family Lamiaceae with fragrant, needle-like leaves, green above and white beneath, and purple, or sometimes white, pink or blue, flowers. Upright forms typically reach four to six feet, though the plant also grows in trailing habits, and an individual shrub can live around thirty five years. It is native to the Mediterranean region as well as Portugal and northwestern Spain, and it spread widely over the centuries, becoming naturalized in China by 220 CE, reaching England by the eighth century and arriving in the Americas in the early seventeenth century. Its leaves are a common flavoring in Mediterranean dishes such as stews, stuffing, roasted meats and marinades, its extract is used as a food preservative, and the plant carries deep symbolic associations with remembrance in literature and commemorative traditions, particularly in Europe and Australia.