Rosemary

Q. I just cut back some creeping rosemary, and would like to use the cuttings in another area, as a ground cover. In the new spot, they would get full Houston sun most of the day.

Can you tell me how to start them? I have branches up to 2' long. Should I put them right out in their new spot, or keep them kind of shaded for a while? And start in water or soil?

A. Rosemary is best propagated by the young, newest growth, not the woody part. Two-foot long pieces will have about 6" at the end which is young, and that is what will root the easiest. You can try 1' long ones, but I have found the shorter ones more reliable. The roots grow out from the young tissue better than through the mass of older [partially dead] stem tissue. The core is softer too.

Moisten a flat of light garden soil, with some sterilized sand added, and a little perlite and vermiculite. Stick the send cuts into Rootone hormone powder and sink 1" down. Press each slightly to secure from toppling over.

Place the flat or tray in a lightly sunny location with no direct light until the stems are firmly attached to the medium and the buds are growing. Then, increase the light and give half strength fertilizer to the cuttings.

Keep evenly moist from the very start, but not soggy. Make sure it is well-drained and they should root in 2-3 weeks.

Q. Can you tell me more about that dwarf creeping rosemary? Is it a possibility for my sunny area. And the Latin name or whatever, so I can mail-order it if necessary?

A. I love this creeping version of a favorite herb, Rosemary. It is Mediterranean, so loves hot and dry locations. Evergreen in mild climates, it bears beautiful pale lavender-blue flowers heavily in the late spring and then throughout the summer. Great for cooking, too!

Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus' [syn. R. lavendulaceus] (Creeping Rosemary)

STRONGLY SCENTED GROUND COVER
Plant it where you can brush against it or walk lightly on it to release the fragrance. Ideal for steps, walls, dry banks, rock gardens, pathway edges. Light blue flowers intermittently throughout the year. Zones 6-11.

COOKING
Has a milder flavor than upright Rosemary but is still used in food.

CLASSIC FOOD PARTNERS
Lamb, Pork, Chicken, Tomatoes, Scones, Bread, Damper, Barbecued Meats.

CULTIVATION
Trailing shrub to 25 cm high.

There are many varieties of rosemary from which to choose, but let's first look at two basic types. Rosmarinus officinalis commonly refers to the upright varieties of rosemary. These usually grow 18-24 inches high. While they may get bushy, their main direction of growth is vertical. R. officinalis prostratus refers to prostrate or creeping rosemary which, as its name suggests, tends to grow close to the ground. It is a useful plant for rock gardens and hanging baskets. Both varieties are great for cooking. About two dozen upright and a dozen creeping rosemarys are commonly for sale. The upright varieties include Miss Jessup, Tuscan Blue, White, Benedin Blue, and Pink. Miss Jessup is one of the most vertical varieties and has rather larger leaves than the others. It has excellent blue flowers. Tuscan Blue and Benedin Blue also have blue blossoms, but their leaves tend to be smaller than Miss Jessup, something you may want to consider if you need to chop a lot of rosemary for a recipe. The White and Pink varieties are interesting for their unusual flowers. Plant rosemary in a sunny area with well-drained soil. One of the most interesting prostrate rosemarys is Collingwood Inghram (also sold simply as Inghram). A vigorous grower, it has exquisite dark blue--sometimes almost purple--flowers. It usually flowers in August and is an excellent plant for a hanging basket. Most rosemary is hardy to 15-20 degrees. In regions of the country where temperatures permit, rosemary makes a superb landscape plant. In southern California, creeping rosemary is commonly used as a ground cover. And at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in Chapel Hill some long-lived upright varieties are four feet high and five or six feet in diameter. A few varieties--Arp, Hill s Hardy, and Furneaux Hardy--are hardy to minus 10 degrees. They benefit from being planted in a protected location next to a wall or fence, or from being wrapped or mulched for the winter. In March, these plants should be trimmed back by about one-third and shaped. Give them a little balanced fertilizer and watch them grow!