Rosemary

Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis

Rosemary is a well known herb used in many dishes around the globe. With its distinctive spiky needles surrounding a fibrous stem it is easily distinguished among other herb species and once crushed between your fingers its smell is undoubtedly acknowledged. I love how the smell lingers even after a few washes of your hands - sometimes all you need is a deep inhalation of fresh rosemary to put a smile on your face! (Or get you thinking about dinner.)

In 'Hamlet', Shakespeare has Ophelia refer to rosemary as being for 'remembrance' in her last few remarks before committing suicide. I had always attributed this statement to her depreciated mental state and the folklore behind herbs in that time and place, however, studies have actually proven that the inhalation of rosemary oil can indeed improve memory and enhance concentration. Rosemary is incredibly easy to grow, so why not have this as a potted plant in your kitchen?

If you have ever crushed rosemary with your hands before you will know it results in quite a sticky produce and can be quite difficult to was off without lots of soap and water. This is the phloem sap that is used in the transportation of nutrients throughout the plant. Insects such like spittlebugs (froghopper nymph stage) feast on this sap and can result in plant death. An easy remedy for this is a spray of water across your plant. No need for any insecticides.


If anyone is interested in a study that has shown the correlation between rosemary and memory read this paper: M. Moss, & L. Silver (2012) Plasma 1,8-cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology 103-113