DUKAI
The Ingredient Library

Herbs

Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus (formerly Rosmarinus officinalis)

Needle-leaved, piney and robust: the evergreen of roast potatoes, lamb and focaccia, and a shrub that thrives on neglect.

Also
Rosmarino
Family
Lamiaceae (mint family)
A wild rosemary shrub growing on a rocky, sun-baked hillside

How to recognise it

In the garden and in the hand.

  • A wild rosemary shrub growing on a rocky, sun-baked hillside
    growingThe shrub: dense, evergreen, at home on a dry rocky slope. Former quarry at Olarizu, Vitoria, Spain.
  • A rosemary sprig tip showing narrow needle-like leaves crowded along the stem
    identifying featuresLeaves: narrow needles crowded along the stem, green above and pale beneath.
  • Close view of pale lilac-blue two-lipped rosemary flowers among the needle leaves
    identifying featuresFlowers: pale lilac-blue, two-lipped, clustered along the stems. Segonzano, Italy.
  • A flowering rosemary sprig with blue flowers and dark green needles
    harvestedA sprig in flower, as it would be cut for the kitchen.
Growth habit
A dense evergreen shrub, one to two metres high, upright or sprawling depending on the variety; grows wild on dry Mediterranean hillsides.
Leaves
Narrow, needle-like leaves two to four centimetres long, dark green and leathery above, white and felted beneath, with edges rolled under; crowded along the stems.
Stem
Woody, brown and rough with age; young shoots square and downy.
Flower
Small two-lipped flowers, pale blue to lilac (occasionally white or pink), in clusters along the stems, mainly in winter and spring but sporadically all year.
Colour
Dark green needles with silvery undersides.
Aroma
Piney, resinous and camphorous; the scent rises from the plant on a warm day.
Texture
Stiff, leathery needles; tender only at the growing tips.
Distinguishing features
Needle leaves that are green above and white-felted beneath, on a woody aromatic shrub, with lilac-blue flowers along the stems.
Common lookalikes
Lavender has grey needle-like leaves but a sweet floral scent and flowers on bare stalks. Young pine or fir shoots lack the felted underside and the culinary scent.

CautionIdentify by the felted white underside and the resinous scent together.

In the garden

Growing and harvest.

Conditions
Full sun, sharp drainage, lean soil and little water once established; frost-hardy varieties exist, but wet cold kills it.
Season
Evergreen and pickable all year; new growth in spring is the most tender. Seasons vary by region and climate.
Harvested part
Sprigs and leaves; woody stems can be used as skewers.
Ready when
Cut from established plants, never more than a third at a time; the plant resents hard pruning into old wood.

In the kitchen

Flavour and use.

Flavour
Piney, resinous, warm and slightly bitter; strong enough to dominate if overused.
Aroma
Intense; carries through roasting and grilling.
Texture
Needles stay tough unless finely chopped or removed before serving.
Edible parts
The leaves; the flowers as a garnish.
Preparations
Whole sprigs in the roasting tin, Finely chopped into bread and focaccia dough, Infused into oil, butter or syrup, Stems as skewers, Tied into a bouquet garni
Techniques
Roasting, Grilling, Infusing, Baking
Pairs with
Lamb, Potatoes, Garlic, Olive oil, White beans, Lemon
How Paul uses it
Agnello al rosmarino, lamb with rosemary, garlic and jus, sits on the Recipes page, and a sprig appears in the photographs on the Portfolio and Philosophy pages.

Selection and storage

Choosing, keeping, preserving.

Choosing
Pliable green sprigs with a strong scent and no dry, brown needles.
Storage
Wrap in damp paper in the fridge for two weeks or more; it is one of the hardiest herbs.
Preserving
Dries well; also freezes on the sprig, or in oil. Dried rosemary is harder and sharper than fresh, so use less and chop finely.

Traditional uses, nutrition and current evidence

What is known, and how well.

Each statement carries its evidence level in words and a numbered source. Nothing here recommends an ingredient as a treatment.

Nutrition

  • Established nutritional fact

    Rosemary is used in small amounts; per serving it contributes negligible energy. It is a source of aromatic compounds rather than nutrients. [1]

Traditional use

  • Traditional use, not clinically established

    The European Medicines Agency's herbal monograph records rosemary leaf as a traditional herbal medicine for mild digestive complaints and, applied externally, for minor muscular and joint pain and poor circulation. These are traditional-use registrations, not proof of efficacy. [2]

Current evidence

  • Early or limited evidence

    Rosemary extract (E 392) is an approved antioxidant food additive in the European Union, on the basis of its ability to slow fat oxidation in foods; that is a food-technology use, not a health effect from eating the herb. [3]

Safety and cautions

Before you cook with it.

  • Culinary quantities of rosemary are safe for most people.
  • Rosemary essential oil is a concentrated preparation and is not for internal use; the EMA monograph limits its external use and does not recommend concentrated rosemary preparations in pregnancy, while breastfeeding or for children.
  • Rosemary contains camphor; large amounts of the concentrated oil can be toxic. This does not apply to the herb used in cooking.
  • Allergic contact dermatitis from rosemary has been reported in a small number of people who handle it often.

This ingredient profile is provided for culinary and general educational purposes. It is not medical advice and does not recommend an ingredient as a treatment. Anyone who is pregnant, managing a medical condition, allergic, or taking medication should consult an appropriate healthcare professional before using concentrated herbal preparations or supplements.

Elsewhere on DUKAI

Also in the library

Sources and review

  1. 1USDA FoodData Central, Spices, rosemary, freshNational food-composition database
  2. 2European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Community herbal monograph on Rosmarinus officinalis L., folium (EMA/HMPC/13631/2009), 2010, and on Rosmarinus officinalis L., aetheroleum (EMA/HMPC/235453/2009).Medicines regulator
  3. 3European Food Safety Authority, Panel on Food Additives. Use of rosemary extracts as a food additive: scientific opinion. EFSA Journal. 2008;6(3):721.Food-safety regulator

Sources reviewed 9 September 2026. Culinary and general educational information.

Photograph credits