ROSMARINUS officinalis 'Tuscan blue'

Vigorous evergreen perennial shrub, with a typical compact and upright habit. Elegant form of Rosmarinus officinalis, it has a fairly fast growth rate, in fact in a short time it can reach 1.50 in height and almost as much in width. It has older woody branches with brown bark, while the juvenile apexes are herbaceous and greyish in color due to the presence of microscopic hairs. The leaves, larger than those of Rosmarinus Officinalis, are leathery, narrow and linear; they have a dark green upper page that folds, at the edges, on the lower one that appears instead of a silvery gray color: they can be used to flavor foods and also for many herbal preparations. The flowers, larger than those of Rosmarinus Officinalis, which appear numerous in the course of spring and then less abundant in a second autumn flowering, are blue-violet in color and gathered in small clusters at the axil of the leaves of the apical branches.

Rustic and vigorous plant that does not require special care and maintenance. It needs sunny positions and adapts to any type of soil, preferring light, sandy, permeable and well-drained ones. It tolerates drought and salt so it can be used for coastal gardens. It tolerates frost if it is not intense or prolonged, and if it is not associated with high atmospheric and soil humidity. It does not require strong pruning, in autumn you can remove dry, damaged or messy parts and trim the stems in order to eliminate the new lateral shoots and to maintain a thick and compact appearance: avoid pruning the older branches because from it the plant does not germinate. It can be grown in pots or containers where it will show its soft hanging habit. In the open ground it can be used on walls or terraces from which it will create wonderful waterfalls; it can be ideal for holding the soil of slopes and embankments. It can also be used at the base of other shrubs as an excellent ground cover plant or associated with other Mediterranean essences for the construction of rock gardens, taking advantage of its robust and developed root system.