Trailing rosemary, also known as creeping rosemary is a hardy, fast-growing evergreen shrub with lovely blooms and scents.
The dark green leaves, which may grow to be 2 inches long (5 cm), are high in fragrant oils and are often used as a culinary herb. This plant is popular due to its strong piney taste and aroma.
Consider producing Rosemary that cascades over a wall or sprawls across a dry rock lawn. This sturdy little jewel is ideal for garden walls, pots, banks, or a dry, sunny area of garden ground. It is an excellent groundcover for hot, dry areas, with a low habit and mounds just 12′′ inches (30 cm) high that spread rapidly. Deep blue blooms bloom in profusion and are pest resistant.
Trailing Rosemary Appearance
There are currently many fascinating Mediterranean rosemary varieties available in nurseries and garden centers. This cultivar is a low-growing evergreen shrub with thick leaves that can grow to be 24 inches (60 cm) tall and 5-6 feet broad. It has slender needle-like leaves that are a rich green on top and pale on the bottom. Small pale blue blooms appear in late winter and on occasion throughout the year. Flowers attract birds and bees while the foliage is appreciated as a culinary ingredient and includes oils used in fragrances, lotions, and soaps.
Trailing rosemary is ideal for ground cover plantings on all sizes of slopes and banks, as well as in containers, drought-tolerant gardens, and along garden borders. It thrives on well-drained soils and full light, and it can withstand temperatures as low as 15°F (-9 °c).
Planting Habits
Trailing Rosemary matures to be just 6 inches (15 cm) tall, growing to 8 inches (20 cm) tall with the blooms, and spreading to 3 feet. This plant is both decorative and delicious, and it would look as at home in a landscape or flower garden as it would in a dedicated herb garden.
It should only be grown in direct sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels and well-drained soil and will drown if left standing in water. It is unaffected by soil type or pH. It can live in heavily populated places and is particularly resistant to urban pollution. In winter, consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch to protect it in exposed areas or colder microclimates. Trailing Rosemary is an excellent choice for the culinary garden, but it may also be used in outdoor pots and containers.
How to Grow Rosemary from Seeds
Rosemary seeds germinate slowly at first, making propagation more suitable for establishing creeping rosemary plants. Growing rosemary from seed might be a wonderful option if you are patient and want a large number of plants – perhaps to line a walkway. Germination, on the other hand, takes time and has a poor success rate, therefore sow four times as many seeds as you desire seedlings.
Begin seedlings inside at least three months before the growth season begins. Use a well-draining compost that has a lot of vermiculite or perlite. Moisten the mixture without making it soggy. Sprinkle the seeds on top, then cover with a thin coating of potting mix. Mist the surface with water before placing it in a propagator or wrapping it in plastic wrap.
Remove the cover as soon as seedlings show, which should be 14-28 days later. Place the seedlings in a warm, direct-sun location, and keep the soil wet. When the seedlings are at least 3 inches tall (7 cm), pot them up or, if the weather permits, plant them outside.
Growing Rosemary from Cuttings
Here are the methods for obtaining rosemary cuttings from a mature mother plant and growing young rosemary plants in pots that can be moved outside in the summer and indoors in the winter.
- Pick out fresh branches from the mother plant.
- Select healthy stems with new growth. The younger shoots will have flexible green stalks. Older brown, woody stalks should be avoided.
- Snip the rosemary stem about 5 to 6 inches back from a fresh growing tip with sharp scissors. Make a lot of spare stems in case some don’t establish roots.
- Grasp the stem of the rosemary cutting with your fingers and carefully pull off the lowest 2-inches of needles.
- Place the stems in a jar of water and store it somewhere warm and out of direct sunshine. Every couple of days, replace the water with room temperature water. The fresh water adds dissolved oxygen to the cuttings and keeps them from decaying.
- Depending on the weather, the rosemary stem cuttings should sprout roots in a few weeks. It may take longer in cooler weather. If the rosemary cuttings have survived, it should be obvious after 4 to 8 weeks. Cuttings that do not survive will be brown with needles shed.
- When you notice 4 to 6 roots on each stem that are at least 1/2-inch long (1 cm), your rosemary cuttings are ready to be planted.
Fertilizer
Rosemary is not a heavy feeder and may grow in a variety of soil conditions. Keep in mind that if you’re learning how to grow rosemary in a container, you’ll need to feed it.
A slow-release balanced fertilizer applied at the beginning of the growing season might help your plant get off to a good start. Sprinkle a handful of compost or well-rotted manure on top of the soil from time to time instead. Fish emulsion is a fantastic organic solution for getting a quick nitrogen boost if you don’t mind the smell.
You may also feed half-strength balanced liquid fertilizers, such as 10-10-10, every 3-4 weeks, depending on how well your plant is doing. Remember that it is not necessary to fertilize on a regular basis unless absolutely necessary, as overfertilization lowers the essential oil content of herbs such as rosemary.
Maintenance: How Do you Care for Trailing Rosemary?
The key to growing creeping rosemary is to have excellent drainage, as they are prone to root rot in wet weather. Once established, plants may live in compacted soil, but young seedlings require loose soil to facilitate root development. Aerate around the root zone of compacted soils to promote porosity and allow roots to breathe.
Creeping Rosemary thrives in full sun in a Mediterranean-like environment. In USDA hardiness zones 8 through 10, the plant is winter hardy. Rosemary will grow in clay pots in milder climes, where it will be maintained outside during the warm months and brought inside during the cooler months.
When grown inside, it is critical to select a bright, sunny position where the plants will receive at least six hours of direct sunshine every day. When keeping these plants indoors for the winter, a cool room temperature of 60° to 65° F (15° – 18° C), some humidity, and sufficient air circulation are essential.
You can lightly trim the plant to encourage branching or train it over a building for a pleasing aesthetic. Rosemary ground cover can also be permitted to climb over rocks and other surfaces as an efficient herb barrier and visually appealing living mulch.
Pests or Diseases
Root rot and powdery mildew are the most frequent fungal infections. The latter occurs during warm, rainy seasons and is distinguished by a whitish, fine spore coating on all sections of the plant. It is most common when the plant is in semi-shade and the temperature is between 60- and 80-degrees F. (16-27 C.). To tackle the fungus, use an organic fungicide spray or a homemade combination of baking soda and water. Other fungal infections, such as botrytis and root rot, are concerning, particularly indoors.
Aphids, spittlebug, thrips, mealybugs, scale, and root rot are all common rosemary pests and diseases. Botrytis blight, downy mildew, and other diseases can all damage rosemary. Rosemary takes little care in most cases; however, the incorrect growth conditions and maintenance might invite disease and insect infestations. Many common rosemary problems may be resolved quickly, while others can weaken and finally kill the plant if not handled properly.
Trailing Rosemary FAQ
Is Trailing Rosemary Poisonous?
Rosemary is a non-toxic plant with several culinary and therapeutic applications.
Is Trailing Rosemary Invasive?
Creeping Rosemary may grow invasive in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 10.
What kinds of plants grow nicely with trailing rosemary?
What grows together gets stronger. Rosemary and thyme are excellent herb partners, with thyme providing more advantages than it receives.
Is there a difference between trailing rosemary and creeping rosemary?
Trailing or creeping rosemary is a cultivar of the Mediterranean herbaceous shrubs. This evergreen perennial may be taught to grow over fences, rockeries, and raised beds. With its beautiful, leathery leaves and delicious blooms, it becomes an attractive ground cover over time.
Are Trailing rosemary edible?
Trailing Rosemary is a woody plant farmed mostly for its nutritional characteristics, while it also has decorative value. The leaves have a rich taste and a strong aroma.
How long does a Rosemary Plant live?
If the conditions are favorable, rosemary plants can live for 10 years or more.