Rosemary:

It is a  shruby evergreen bush whose height ranges up to 2m high. It is strongly aromatic and scented. The  stem is aerial erect, branched mostly square in cross section or quadrangular, and woody.  Leaves  are  Silvery green, narrow- needle shaped. Flowers are usually bisexual, pentamerous that are arranged in short and axillary racemes colour of flower is  violet - blue or pale blue.

It is derived from two words (Ros = Dew ; Marinus = The sea)

The most common varieties of the Rosemary are:

1. Rosmarinus officinalis var. officinalis

2. Rosmarinus officinalis var. angustifolium

3. Rosmarinus officinalis var. humilis

4. Rosmarinus officinalis var. procumbens

Environment

It is well suited in tropical, Sub-tropical and sub- temperate climate.  It can be grown in temperate climate also. Fair and shinny weather is required for the proper growth and development of the. A well- drained loamy or sandy loam; rich in organic matters are mostly preferred.

 Cultivation

•Propagation:-Propagation is mostly carried out by cuttings of the half ripened young shoots.

•Preparation of land, Spacing; Interculture and Irrigation practices are  similar to other aromatic plants.

Harvesting

•The oil is obtained from freshly harvested twigs, leaves and flowering tops. Dried leaves and flowers are also used for extracting oil from rosemary plants. The whole plants are harvested manually when the flowers are bloomed fully.

Chemical evaluation:

1.Characteristics:- The oil obtained from this plant is  colourless or pale yellow mobile liquid with a strong, fresh, minty herbaceous scent and a woody- balsamic undertone. Poor quality oils have a strong camphoraceous note.

•The main constituents of this plant are pinenes and dipeptene. Besides limonene, camphene, cineol, borneol, linalool, terpineol, P- cymene, octanone. geraniol, bornyl acetate, acetic acid and d- linalool aldehyed. The essential oil content varies from 0.3 to 2.2%

Actions:- Analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, fungicidal, hepatic, hypertensive, nervine, parasiticide, stomachic and tonic

Major Uses:

•Flowers are used in medicine as stimulant, diuretic, aperient and emmenagogue (induces menstruation), colitis, neuralgia and debility.

•The oil is extensively used in soaps, detergents, cosmetics, household sprays and perfumes, especially colognes.

•Extensively employed in most major food caterories, especially meat products, and alcoholic and soft drinks.

• Dried leaves are used as condiments.

•Fresh tender tops of these plants are used for garnishing.

•The oil serves as a source of natural anti-oxidants.