Is a Rosemary Bush an Annual?

Description

• This aromatic evergreen grows as a woody shrub and is native to the Mediterranean. At maturity they will reach 2 to 4 feet in height and about 4 feet wide. The upper portions of the leaves are green and the undersides are gray. Young flowering branch tips are harvested for their oil, and dried leaves are used for seasoning. Flowers are pale blue and appear in late winter through spring.

Annual or Perennial

• Rosemary is hardy as a perennial only in zones 8 through 10. Essentially gardeners along coastal regions starting from the Southeast along the Southern coast through parts of Texas and all along the West Coast can grow rosemary as a perennial. In other regions, it can be grown as an annual or grown in a container and overwintered indoors.

Overwintering in Cold Climates

• Rosemary thrives in hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Any of these conditions taken to the extreme, says the University of Illinois website, can cause the death of your rosemary. Overwintering a rosemary indoors can be tricky. Plant it in well-drained potting soil, keep it moist but not soggy and put in the sunniest spot possible. Two cultivars, "Arp" and "Hill Hardy," are hardy to zone 6 and may overwinter outdoors if they are heavily mulched and are planted in a protected location.

Growing Tips

• Plant rosemary in well-drained soil in a location that gets at least six hours of sunlight daily. A soil mixture of peat moss, sand and a little gravel will ensure proper drainage. Add 1 cup of limestone per .01 cubic yards of soil to reduce acidity. Irrigate thoroughly and allow plants to dry out before watering again. Use a balanced fertilizer once during the growing season. Once landscape plants become established, they are very drought tolerant.