Rosemary

Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean Basin, where it grows naturally in sunny scrublands, on rocky slopes, and near the sea. Its leathery, needlelike leaves help limit water loss, while their fragrant oils are characteristic of many plants adapted to the region’s heat and drought.

People around the Mediterranean have used rosemary since antiquity. It became valued as a seasoning, aromatic plant, and traditional household herb, and generations of cultivation produced forms selected for flavor, fragrance, growth habit, and flower color. Botanically, rosemary is now classified as Salvia rosmarinus, placing it within the same genus as culinary sage; its older name, Rosmarinus officinalis, remains widely recognized.

Trade, migration, gardens, and colonial exchange carried rosemary far beyond its native range. Because it thrives in climates with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers, it adapted especially well to other Mediterranean-climate regions, including coastal California.

Today rosemary is cultivated worldwide in gardens, farms, and containers. Spain and other Mediterranean countries remain important sources of dried rosemary and rosemary oil, while California’s climate supports both commercial production and year-round garden growth. Wherever it is planted, the herb still reveals its origins in its preference for full sun, sharp drainage, and relatively dry soil.