Just like thyme, Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is so common in our kitchen that we would almost forget that this beautiful, fragrant plant has medicinal and magical superpowers. Rosemary, with its small but numerous lip flowers, is a joy to have in your garden when flowering. This is a plant where beauty and practicality go hand in hand.
When it comes to healing, rosemary is known for its beneficial effects on digestion, as well as related organs such as the liver and gallbladder. Less known is rosemary’s ability to assist anyone with cold hands and feet because it stimulates peripheral blood flow.
And those are just a few of its uses. Did you know that rosemary improves brain function, for example? Thus, it helps when dealing with conditions such as dementia and concentration problems. I like taking a rosemary bath when I have a long day of concentrated work ahead of me and want to stay relaxed at the same time. This plant has a beneficial effect on tense nerves and depression as well.
Rosemary has plenty of magical properties. It helps when divining and at the same time protects against evil forces. It cleans and disinfects. In that regard, this herb is like thyme. Rosemary magically promotes good memory and longevity. It also has numerous sympathetic medical uses.
Rosemary stands on a fibrous root system. This shrubby plant can grow up to two metres high. It has woody, strongly branched and winding stems with sessile, opposite leaves attached to it.
Rosemary leaves are dark green on top and grey at the bottom, linear and about 2.5 cm long. The edges of the leaves curl slightly.
The flowers are axillary and appear in racemes of five to ten flowers. They are double-lipped with two long stamens and come in different colours: white, pink, blue and lilac. After flowering, achenes containing four small nuts appear.
In ancient times, rosemary was dedicated to, among others, Aphrodite and Venus. It is a real love plant.
Like laurel, rosemary was used to decorate home altars.
Rosemary was strongly associated with death and funerals.
It is also a practical plant and keeps moths and other vermin away.
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