Rosemary: The Queen of Herbs & Every Kitchen Witches’ Favorite Plant
I’m so excited to start discussing plants with you. Everybody needs plants in their life. Gardening in and of itself is more Taylor’s thing (I say this because she is far better at it than I am.) BUT I myself love to putz around in the dirt. Whereas Taylor will be focusing more on care of plants, cultivation and propagation; I will be focusing on “what’s this plant, can I eat it, what are it’s uses?” as well as the history, lore, and magic in said plants”-especially herbs-but all plants.
So many modern solutions and fixes still have their roots (haha, roots) in the ancient study of herbology. Humans have been studying and relying on the magic of plants for thousands of years, and there’s a lot of wisdom you can draw from if you’re willing to take the time to learn. And no study of herbology would be complete without first starting with the queen of all herbs.
The Dew of the Sea: Rosmarinus officinalis, also known as Elf Leaf.
Throughout the ages Rosemary has been used for not only culinary purposes but medicinal and spiritual ones as well. Its uses are almost endless and steeped in tradition. It’s easy to grow and care for; and it’s almost as good dry as it is fresh. If there is one plant on the planet I will love forever, it is Rosemary. Its one of those plants whos aroma I immediately associate with warmth, peace, and calm; which is apropos considering the over-arching commonalities we’re about to discuss all center around clarity, purification, and love.
History + Lore:
Rosemary hails from the Mediterranean and the original myth was that Aphrodite was draped in the magical plant when she rose from the sea born of Uranus’s semen, whilst not the most romantic of stories, being so heavily associated with the goddess of Love’s origin story may play a heavy part in why the plant later became so closely tied with love.
Culinary, Nutrition, and Medicinal Uses:
From a culinary standpoint, you really cannot go wrong with this herb. Aside from its amazing flavor and aromatics it is high in anti-oxidants, anti-microbial and is heavily used in anti-inflammatory diets. It can help improve blood circulation, fight free radicals, and some studies are even beginning to show consistent evidence of its ability to help maintain brain function and fight Alzheimer’s (for more info on this see HERE). In older medicinal practices, it was used to improve memory. It can also help lower blood sugar. It is high in Iron and Vitamin B6 and can be taken orally as well as used topically for eczema and skin inflammation. It has also been used historically in skin care to tone skin and reduce redness. Much of Europe also uses the herb to treat indigestion.
Rosemary can be used to season meat (rosemary is king when it comes to seasoning lamb), baked into breads, steeped into teas, infused into oils, and made into all kinds of balms and tinctures. A more versatile herb you will not find anywhere in the world. From a practical standpoint it can also be used to repel insects; in your garden but also I also like to put a bit into my campfires and the smoke keeps the mosquitos away.
Symbolism:
Among other things, rosemary has long been a symbol of love. In ancient times brides traditionally wore a headpiece of Rosemary and even into modern times have been known to include it in their bouquets. It is also typically symbolic of friendship, loyalty, and remembrance- thus is typically one of the plants carried by funeral mourners. It is also commonly used to symbolize the cycle of life from death to the rebirth of Spring.
Spirituality:
Rosemary is closely associated with the Third Eye Chakra and Spiritual Clarity. Common uses include smudges used to cleanse and sanctify spaces, inclusion in dream sachets to produce clear dreams and deep sleep, clairvoyant rituals, protection spells, alter representations, healing, memory spells, and (historically) love spells (though I morally don’t support that). Among the many things that make Rosemary the Queen of magical herbs is the fact that Rosemary can be used in mixes to amplify most other forms of magic as well.
Again, it can be cooked into things or steeped. It can be dried and tucked into wreathes, garlands, protective symbols, or made into sigils. you can burn it, turn it into anointing oils, and use it in your common day to day aroma therapy practices to help focus meditation and mindfulness as well as reduce anxiety.
Care:
Rosemary is a hardy little plant, with its woody stems and deep growing roots. It will grow from year to year if maintained well. Since it hails from the sea swept coasts of the Mediterranean she prefers temperatures of 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit with soil temperatures above 65 degrees. If you live somewhere colder I would suggest growing her inside, or in a greenhouse (side note for those who think greenhouses are a pipe-dream: there are some decent sized portable ones on Amazon until we can all be millionaires and afford the Victorian grow house of our dreams). Rosemary is drought tolerant and prefers sandy loamy soil that is well draining as well as full sun. It can survive in mid sun provided you do not over water it. you want to fully let the soil dry out between watering as over watering can lead to root rot.
Whether you are buying it or growing it (I would encourage you to try growing your own), Rosemary is more than worth it.
All the best,
Mikaela
