Preferring full sun and hardy enough to survive south central Texas winters, rosemary is native to the Mediterranean but grows well here in Austin. We are accustomed to seeing it in yards and garden beds all over town. In early spring and summer its evergreen, leather like needles create a backdrop for lovely small, pale blue, tubular flowers. It's beautiful, smells great, and dries easily. It blends well into cooked dishes and can also be found in many body care products.

Rosemary was held sacred by Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans alike and was valued as a token of love and friendship throughout Europe for centuries. It has been considered a symbol of remembrance and an emblem for trust and constancy. In ritual, it has been both burnt as incense at funerals and worn as a headdress for weddings. Thought to bring good luck, rosemary has also been used to impart protection from magick and witchcraft.

Today we see it used in shampoo and tonic formulas for hair growth as studies have shown that rosemary oil can help control dandruff, eliminate bacteria, and stimulate the scalp to regrow hair especially in instances of hair loss due to scalp infections or androgenic alopecia.

Essential oil of rosemary is an excellent Yang tonic that invigorates the senses while moving Qi and Blood. Its scent is strong and fresh, camphor like with woody undertones which can help relieve both mental and physical malaise. Warm in nature, it is indicated for joint pain of a cold, fixed nature and is one of the best essential oils for rheumatic conditions. Used in a 2% solution with a carrier oil, it can ease sore, stiff and cramping muscles.

Considered an exhilarating herb corresponding to the 6th Chakra and ascribed to the solar diety Apollo, rosemary has an intense and enlivening energetic nature. In traditional Chinese medicine we attribute rosemary to the fire element. It opens the orafices and empowers the mind. It offsets brooding and can even embolden one who has become overburdened with apathy. Used to strengthen intuition and the pineal gland, it is said to help eliminate forgetfulness and encourage remembrance to help us stay true to our higher heart path.

Please, do not use rosemary while pregnant or nursing or on children under two years of age. It should also be avoided by individuals with epilepsy and should always be used diluted in a carrier oil.