Have you ever heard of the Mediterranean Angle?
No, don’t get afraid. We are not talking about any fictitious story. Actually, we are talking about a Vedic herb which carries great importance in the medicinal field from the Vedic period.
Rosemary is a evergreen shrub with blue flowers. Salvia Rosmarinus, commonly known as rosemary, is a plant with a great fragrance, needle-like leaves, resinous and sweet flavor.
This beneficial spice belongs to the shores of the Mediterranean sea. And in India, we call it "gulmehndi". Taxonomic science sets a worldwide unique name for every living being in this beautiful world. And our very own rosemary has a scientific name: Rosmarinus officinalis.
Hailing from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the shrubs do their best in the warm atmosphere. Unlike human beings, the presence of a fair amount of humidity in the air causes speedy growth of plants. They can grow up to several feet in height. In fact, these lucrative Vedic shrubs can grow vigorously under ideal conditions, which can become a bit of a burden if not managed in the proper way. Basically, rosemary can be grown in warm climates as a perennial plant. And in cold areas, rosemary should be grown in a pot and under indoor weather conditions.
A common question might be pop up in your mind:
"Do we know about these ancient shrubs"?
There are lots of uses for rosemary that might surprise you. Rosemary is often used for seasoning poultry, such as lamb, stews, and soups. Sometimes this great plant is used as a decoration in our garden. Those needle-like leaves are used to flavor many foods, such as stuffing and roasting chicken, as this is super beneficial for human health.
Let’s dive into the history of Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis has been nurtured by cooks and treasured by apothecaries. Although rosemary is grown in the Mediterranean, it made its way to America with the European settlers in the 17th century. Then soon it spread to South America and global distribution. As a result, natural hybrids have developed from this plant.
There are two types of rosemary plants: those that grow as upright shrubs and those that grow as ground cover. Beyond that, things get more complex, especially since one variety may be sold under several different names.
A few common types of rosemary:
‘Arp’ is a cold-hardy type of rosemary plant that was named for the town of Arp’s newspaper editor, also named Arp. It was discovered by Madelene Hill. Later on the road, another type of cold-hardy rosemary was named after her, "Madelene Hill".
Keeping those beneficial sides of rosemary in mind, we can compare this ancient herb with the precious metal, gold. In fact, there is a variety named "Golden rosemary". ‘Joyce de Baggio', also known as "golden rain" or "golden rosemary", is indeed somewhat golden in color. It changes its color with the change of the season. That’s why we mistakenly took this as a variegated plant. In spring or fall, the leaves are bright yellow, and in summer they are dark green.
We have previously discussed the long shrub known as rosemary. The boundary plant, which does its best in a pot. Blue Boy Rosemary is a slow-growing herb. The tiny leaves are edible, you need a lot of them. Creeping rosemary actually sounds like what it does. This variety of rosemary makes a lovely scented ground cover.
Next, we are going to introduce you to a special variety of rosemary plant. Let’s talk about a creeping type of rosemary plant to grow. Pink rosemary has small leaves and pale pink flowers that usually bloom in late winter. But this pine-scented rosemary has feathery or wispy types of leaves. Like a few other cultivars, this one can grow out of hand if not pruned in the proper way. But this rosemary suffers no ill effects from pruning.
‘Santana Barbara’ is another type of trailing rosemary that can grow up to 1 m. or more.
Rosemary is not only known for its good taste and flavorful smell; it is also renowned for the many health benefits it possesses. A good source of iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and B-6, for those lucrative qualities, rosemary has been used for its medicinal purposes for thousands of years.
Let’s learn those qualities for which you are going to include rosemary in your daily routine:-
It is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that help us boost the immune system and improve blood circulation.
Rosemary is a cognitive stimulant that can help improve memory performance and quality. It also need to boost alertness, intelligence, and focus.
The aroma of rosemary improves people’s moods, clears the mind, and relieves stress in those with chronic anxiety or stress hormone imbalances.
Rosemary oil is very helpful for hair fall problems as it promotes hair growth, prevents baldness, and soothes the scalp.
This herb is often used for digestion problems, including heartburn, intestinal gas, liver and gallbladder complaints, and loss of appetite.
Rosemary is specifically powerful against bacterial infections. It is linked to preventing staph infections.
The nutrients in rosemary help protect skin cells from damage caused by the sun and free radicals.
Rosemary is very useful for human beings when it is applied at a low dosage. But it can cause a few side effects when we take it in excessive amounts. Those adverse symptoms are the following:
Ingestion of large amounts may cause stomach upset, intestinal irritation, and kidney failure.
Seizures
Vomiting
Excessive fluids in the lungs, i.e., pulmonary edema
May cause miscarriage.
We have discussed a few things about rosemary, but to describe this precious herb in a few words is impossible.