Rosemary Hedge Plants are sun-loving shrubs with needle-like leaves that are edible. To flavor meat, soups, and many other foods, you can use its fresh or dried leaves as it offers a particular flavor. The optimum time to plant rosemary is in the spring season. Although these are quite hardy plants that can withstand drought, they still need regular watering during dry summers.
Hedge plants can provide privacy, define a space, and add structural interest to the garden, among many other advantages. Imagine a hedge that accomplishes these tasks as well as being aromatic and beautiful, edible, medicinal, and feeding and housing beneficial creatures.
Rosemary cultivars with upright growth make good hedges. Most of them will reach heights of 4 to 7 feet when fully grown. The Tuscan Blue rosemary plant is one of the most striking because of its stature and beautiful dark blue blooms. To learn more about these beneficial hedge plants, take heed of the information below.
How Long Do Rosemary Bushes Live?
If the conditions are good, rosemary plants typically live between 10 and 30 years. Rosmarinus officinalis, as it is scientifically known, is a perennial herb. It is an evergreen shrub with woody stalks and many leaves. It grows untamed near the coastlines and has its origins in the Mediterranean.
It develops as an evergreen semi-shrub in its native climate when given plenty of warmth. It grows quite bushy in warm weather and is spindlier and shorter in colder climates. The flowers are small and have an eye-catching purplish blue color, with the occasional bearing of blue-white blooms.
Early summer is when the flowers can be seen as they spread out in clusters when grown as rosemary hedge plants. In moderate climate zones, the blossoms can be a good supply of nectar for bees in late winter and early spring. There are several types of rosemary which include the most commonly known blue lagoon, Lockwood de Forest, R. lavandulaceus which is a dwarf variety of rosemary, and the Tuscan blue amongst others.
Are Rosemary Roots Invasive?
One of the most well-known and valuable scented bushes is rosemary hedge plants. However, there are many different varieties that you could opt for. Therefore, knowing whether or not a particular plant is invasive before planting is crucial. Let us help you understand the rosemary root system so you will have a better understanding of these valuable shrubs.
Rosemary Plant Root System and Additional Tips Explained:
- Rosemary has a fibrous root structure which means it is quite shallow, so they are not typically regarded as invasive.
- Therefore, they can be planted around any foundation without worrying about the roots causing damage.
- Rosemary plants that are cultivated in a regulated geographic area will have access to adequate amounts of water, sunlight, and nutrients, which will keep their roots tamed. This is because they won’t have to delve very far in quest of water and nutrients.
- Keep in mind that these plants come in a variety of forms which also include rosemary shrubs and seaside rosemary which are two different species. Because of their differences in growth patterns, they are sometimes regarded as an invasive species in some regions of the world.
- In some areas with a Mediterranean climate, rosemary is utilized as an ornamental plant in gardens and for xeriscape landscaping due to its beauty and resistance to drought. This is because it is thought to be both pest-resistant and simple to grow. The groundcover cultivars are extensively distributed and have a tough texture.
- Rosemary thrives in open, sunny areas with loam
soil that has adequate drainage. With average fertility, it thrives in neutral to alkaline environments with a pH of 7–7.8. - From an existing plant, it can be propagated by cutting a shoot that is 10-15 cm long, removing a few leaves from the bottom, and inserting it directly into the ground.
Does Rosemary Come Back Every Year?
Since rosemaries are perennial herbs, they will keep growing year after year. However, if planted in a pot, it will gradually grow less new growth and become extremely woody if not repotted.
If you bring rosemary indoors prior to the onset of freezing conditions, it will survive if you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 or lower. Listed below are a few vital tips that you should consider to ensure that your plant grows healthily.
Rosemary Plant Care Tips:
Rosemary Hardiness Zones
You can grow rosemary plants outdoors all year round with protection during the chilly months in zone 8. Keep in mind that when they are fully matured, they do spread out. As a result, the plants offer good ground coverage. Because of this, people cultivate rosemary in their gardens so that the plants can colonize the entire space, which also adds aesthetic value.
Growing Rosemary from Cuttings
Rosemary plants can also spread from their stems. By stem cutting, you can increase the number of plants you want to grow substantially. However, you must ensure that you cut the strong stems from the roots which will result in the growth of another rosemary plant. This technique will also afford you an increase in size or number.
Rosemary Winter Warning and Care
After Winter, if the rosemary is brittle and brown, it may have experienced root rot. To save your plant and bring it back to its glorious self, check for any healthy growth from which to take cuttings for propagation.
Due to the cold, moist soils of winter, rosemary is particularly susceptible to fungal disease. Prior to suddenly collapsing in the middle of winter, rosemary plants may appear healthy. Therefore, it is likely that you will have to start fresh come spring with new plants.
Learn how to prune your rosemary in this great video.
How Do You Keep Rosemary From Going Woody?
Lack of pruning, plant aging, excessive watering, and overgrowth are the main causes of your rosemary growing woody. However, seeing that rosemary is a shrub, it is only normal for it to become woody. But, this can be avoided with a little extra care and maintenance. This is because rosemary plants require routine pruning to stay in their best shape.
Additionally, these perennials prefer milder temperatures in the winter and sunny, dry settings in the summer. They are extremely resilient and can endure a significant shortage of water and sunlight, even for extended periods of time.
Here are a few tips and suggestions to keep your rosemary hedge plants from turning woody:
- Rosemary shrubs grow differently in our wetter, milder environments, so it’s crucial to prune them twice a year to keep them looking good.
- For rosemary, temperatures below 17 degrees Fahrenheit are too cold, and your plant may not survive.
- You can safeguard your shrub by covering it with a horticultural frost cover if winter temperatures in your region drop.
- During the growing season, rosemary needs about 6 to 12 hours of direct sunlight.
- Make sure to choose light, sandy, and grippy
soil that drains well to keep your plant thriving. - Since rosemary is a naturally drought-tolerant plant, only water it when the
soil is mostly dry. - Overwatering is another factor that can flaw its appearance.
- However, you must keep in mind that a rosemary bush will naturally become woody with age, aside from any mishandling that may have occurred. This is so because only the leaves of rosemary shrubs are usually picked as the stems and branches are not harvested.
Conclusion
Giving your rosemary hedge plants some protection during harsh winters and in particularly cold places can keep them healthy. Crop covers, commonly referred to as horticultural fleece, are soft, translucent materials with fibers.
Placing them over or around delicate plants will shield them from weather-related issues and promote plant growth. After the rosemary blooms start to fade, trim back stems to keep them compact; otherwise, they will grow lanky. In colder climates, rosemary plants often develop their stems in the spring and early summer.
The new growth is more likely to harden off and turn woody when the dormant season starts. The stem will stop growing in length after this, but it will keep expanding in diameter for the rest of the plant’s life. Here’s a link with essential information about how to grow rosemary plants.
Sharon Vanessa hails from the sunny side of Southern Africa. She is an avid gardener with a great interest in indigenous plants from around the globe. Aside from gardening, Sharon is also a full-time writer who has a concentration on non-fiction content. With her experience in script writing, she hopes to eventually produce an independent film or theatre production in the near future. Family means everything to Sharon; therefore, she spends her free time with the people who make life worth living. Her other hobbies include cooking, baking, and exploring the incredible wildlife in South Africa.
