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Rosemary

Rosemary

Rosemary (lat.Rosmarinus) is an evergreen perennial shrub that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. The native land of the plant is the western part of the Mediterranean. Under natural conditions, the rosemary bush grows for 25-30 years, its roots go into the soil by about 4 m, and the height is 0.5-2 m, sometimes reaching the size of a small tree. When growing at home, the bushes reach 0.3-0.7 m in height.

Rosemary has thin needle-like leaves that look like pine needles. From above, each leaf is shiny, dark green, from below - matte, lighter. Flowers are pale lilac, sometimes pink or white, 5-10 pieces in inflorescences at the ends of the shoots. Rosemary blooms in April-May, sometimes until late autumn. After flowering, round-shaped brown fruits appear. The plant has a strong scent reminiscent of pine.

Other names for rosemary: wedding flower, unknown dress, incense herb, dyke, sea freshness, pharmacy rosemary.

Rosemary - Popular varieties: Rosmarinus eriocalyx Jord. & Fourr., Rosmarinus lavandulaceus de Noé, Rosmarinus mendizabalii Sagredo ex Rosua, Rosmarinus tomentosus Hub.-Mor. & Maire Rosmarinus officinalis L. - Ordinary Rosemary, or Medicinal Rosemary. In the middle lane, mainly the latter species is grown. It is represented by the varieties Tenderness, Vishnyakovsky Semko, Rosinka.

Useful properties of rosemary. Rosemary not only refreshes the air in the room, but also decontaminates it. It is a medicinal plant that is widely used in traditional medicine. Rosemary contains substances that have a tonic effect, stimulate cerebral circulation, mental abilities, and strengthen memory. Due to its spicy, slightly pungent taste, the plant, dry or fresh, is used as spices and additives to various dishes.

Rosemary - Care

Rosemary has excellent decorative qualities as an indoor flower. The evergreen shrub pleases with the beauty and freshness of graceful leaves all year round, and during the flowering period it is covered with lovely flowers. At home, he needs a spacious and deep flowerpot, since the root system is wide enough. The plant is afraid of drafts, it is not a window sill that is most suitable for it, but a place near the window, ideally facing east or south.

Lighting. Rosemary loves good sunlight. To prevent the crown from being one-sided, you need to turn it 180 degrees every week. In winter, the plant needs at least 6-8 hours of light per day, so additional lighting may be required. If there is not enough light, the upper leaves will be elongated and less dense.

Temperature. In the spring and summer, the rosemary bush can be taken out to the balcony or terrace, but it must be returned to the house in the fall. In winter, the air temperature in the room should not fall below 16 ° C. Air circulation is essential, but the cold wind from the window can harm the plant. Better to use a fan. Rosemary does not like sudden changes in temperature.

Air humidity. Rosemary can easily tolerate drought, however, it is better to spray a young plant with water. The shrub grows best in high humidity. If the humidity in the apartment is low in winter, the rosemary pot can be placed in a pallet filled with damp expanded clay.

Watering. In summer, rosemary should be watered abundantly 2 times a week. If there is an excess amount of moisture, the roots can get sick, so you need to wait until the soil dries. Water temperature during irrigation should be at room temperature. Rosemary is sensitive to hard water, so it must be left to stand for at least 24 hours. In the cold season, the bush is watered once every 2 weeks, but at the same time make sure that the earthen lump does not dry out.

Top dressing. Rosemary needs to be fed 2 times a month during the period of its active growth, i.e. from March to October. You can use complex mineral fertilizers. If a sufficient amount of fertilizer was applied during planting, then in the near future the plant does not need feeding.

Transfer. The rosemary bush should be repotted periodically as it grows. It is best to do this in March-April, and for plants over 5 years old, it is enough to change only the top layer of the soil once a year. In this case, the diameter of the pot or tub should increase each time, but not more than 2 cm per year. For rosemary, loose fertile neutral soil is suitable, containing sod and leafy soil, humus, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1: 1. You can take a ready-made universal soil. It is important to provide the plant with good drainage; expanded clay or pebbles (3-4 cm layer) are suitable for this. If you wish, you can grow rosemary in the same container with laurel, thyme or basil.

Trimming and shaping. The rosemary needs to be pruned to form a beautiful crown and stimulate new growth. It is best to do this in winter or early spring. Do not prune during flowering. If the stems begin to bare, it is necessary to cut off the shoots at the very surface of the soil.

Bloom. The flowers of rosemary are small, collected in paniculate inflorescences. Depending on the climate, flowering begins in February-March or April-early May. Typically, the flowering period lasts 20-25 days. Flowers usually do not exceed 5 mm, but there are a lot of them. Rosemary can bloom several times a year with proper care. Most often, the flowers are lilac or pale purple, but they are white, blue, pink. However, a violation of the temperature regime, excessive or insufficient watering can lead to the fact that the bush will not bloom.

Reproduction. Rosemary propagates in two ways: by seed and cuttings. Seeds germinate within 3-4 weeks, before planting they need to be soaked in water or a growth stimulator. The maximum penetration into the soil is up to 5 mm. For propagation by cuttings, young healthy shoots from 7 to 10 cm long should be cut off at an acute angle and placed in a container with water for rooting. It takes about 3 weeks for the roots to appear. After that, you can plant the cuttings in a pot.

Diseases and pests. Rosemary is a natural insecticide, so it is rarely attacked by pests. But in indoor conditions, arachnids or aphids can settle on the plant. In this case, treatment with an acaricidal solution will be required. The most common plant disease is powdery mildew. It appears due to sudden temperature fluctuations. Excessive watering can also be the cause of plant disease.

Rosemary in winter. From late November to February, rosemary has a dormant period. The plant needs this time to gain new strength before the warm season. At such a time, the optimum temperature for a plant is from +8 to + 12 ° C. But at temperatures below + 5 ° C, the bush can get sick. In winter, rosemary does not need top dressing, frequent watering is not required, but the earth must not be allowed to dry out. The plant is not limited in light, but phytolamps are used if necessary.

Interesting Facts. Rosemary oil is great for strengthening hair. The plant serves as a natural repellent, effectively repelling insects. In England in the Middle Ages, rosemary was given to grooms and placed in glasses, which were raised in honor of the newlyweds.

The very name of rosemary is translated from Latin as "sea dew" - as the ancient Greeks called the bushes growing in a spray of foam on the coast of the sea.

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