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Materia Poetica
Salvia rosmarinus the “dew of the sea,”
Your leaves are quite sharp, yet you set our hearts free.
You’re woody and bushy and so very strong.
You help set things right when things are so wrong.
Burned with your friend juniper to make places clean,
So all of the patients could be tended and seen.
While growers say your place is zone 8 through zone 10,
You’re outdoors in Jersey again and again.
You’re aroma is piney, we love it’s strong smell,
And we love deer and rodents you thankfully repel.
Your dainty blue flowers attract all the bees,
But your oils help deter the bad ticks and the fleas.
You are tasty in bone broths and also in stews,
And you make my hair shiny. Well, that’s some good news!
If honoring your ancestors is something you do,
Rosemary is remembrance – the right herb for you.
So grow her, and pick her, and love her with might,
Then tuck her in your pillow. Sweet dreams and good night.
Salvia rosmarinus (syn., Rosmarinus officinalis)
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus (syn., Rosmarinus officinalis) derives its common name (Rosemary) from the Latin for “dew” (ros) and “sea” (marinus), or “dew of the sea..”1 It was originally born and raised along rocky hillsides of the Mediterranean in Portugal and Northwestern Spain, but has become a world traveler and is cultivated both in ground and in pots all over the world.2 I have always grown Rosemary in my own gardens, but when I visited southern Turkey, I was shocked at how large a shrub it could be – they were enormous!
The flowers are tiny but a beautiful blue color and are usually filled with bees and butterflies, as I have witnessed in my own gardens. I really love Rosemary as a garden friend and I love her smell, but I have to admit, it is not my favorite culinary herb. Usually when I use it in cooking, I will use the dried and powder it with my mortar and pestle. The only way use it fresh is when I cut long thick, woody stems and, with the leaves kept on, use them as chicken skewers on the grill. The oils from the branches infuses the chicken and makes it taste divine.
I also love using her as a decorative plant. Again, her smell is amazing and she really makes any fresh plant bouquet pop with her deep green spiky branches.
In the winter, when the house is dry and stuffy, I will put on a big pot of water and add several sprigs of Rosemary to “clear the air” (and my sinuses). The resulting water makes a great hair rinse too!
FUN FACTS
The International Herb Association has designated Rosemary Rosmarinus spp. as the Herb of the Year for 2000!3- If your home’s garden had a robust Rosemary shrub, it was said to be because the Mistress of the home was the real Master. It was written in the “Treasury of Botany” (1866) that the men of Gloucestershire (England) were touchy about this, so they would often sneak out and injure the plant “in order to destroy this evidence of their want of authority.”4
- Reference of Rosemary was made in an herbal formula dated 1235, written in the handwriting of Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary. It is said to be preserved in Vienna.4
- Tradition states that it was the Countess of Hainault who introduced Rosemary to England, as there is no recorded history of Rosemary until she sent some in a letter to her daughter, Queen Philippa (wife of King Edward III).4
- In French hospitals, Rosemary was combined with Juniper berries and burned as incense to prevent infections and purify the air.4
- Women often wore sprigs or wreaths of Rosemary in their hair to enhance their memory before an exam.4
Preserving
Harvesting and Drying
Under the right conditions, Rosemary will give you lots of love, as long as you are respectful and not greedy. I harvest only what I need and leave any flowering branches for the pollinators. The bees and butterflies appreciate your kindness.
Your usage will determine how you harvest and store it. If you are using it as a culinary herb, you’ll want to dry it or freeze it in advance. If you are using it fresh for skewers (I love skewering chicken right on the branches and popping them straight on the grill. It infuses the Rosemary oil right into the meat), then you’ll want to store it short term fresh. If you’ll be using it for ceremonial purposes, you can dry it for loose incense, or bunch it for smoke cleansing bundles.
DRYING
Rosemary is rich in aromatic essential oils that, under high heat, evaporate these oils and diminish the quality and potency. If you are going to use a dehydrator, make sure it’s one where you can adjust the temperature and time. Set the temperature between 95°F to 115°F. It should take between 1 to 4 hours (check often), but if you live in a really humid area, you may need to go a tad longer.5
Personally, I prefer to create small bunches and tie them together. You don’t want to make your bunches too big or you might mildew/mold your plant material. Simply tie the base of the bunch together and hang it upside down so the oils move toward the fresh tips. Again, depending on your humidity level, it will generally take about 10 days to dry.
Once dry, you can either remove the leaves from the branches and store them in a glass jar, or in the case of a bundle, leave them tied up and use more string to wrap them, adding additional herbs and flowers as you see fit.
Whenever I remove aerial parts of an herb and am left with the stems, I store the unused stems in a paper bag. During fire pit season, I use them as kindling to get the fire pit going. Not only are they the perfect fire starter, but your fire smells amazing!
FREEZING
If I am planning to use my Rosemary fresh in the short term, I trim the branches or sprigs needed then pop them into a glass of water to keep them fresh. Frankly, if I’m going to use it fresh, I generally wait until I need it then cut it on-demand. If I will be using it for cooking later in the season but I want to use something closer to fresh, I will either wash the sprigs and pat them dry to lay them out on a cookie sheet in the freezer, or trim them and add them to ice cube trays with a wee bit of water. If it is the cookie sheet method, once they are dry, you can remove them from the sheet and place them in a glass container (avoid the plastics) to store them for about a year. You can even use a canning jar in the freezer.
Because it is ultimately the leaves you are after, harvest during a waxing moon, just before the full moon for full energetic potency. Spring and summer are preferred seasons to harvest, but these are evergreens, so you could harvest in the winter. Just take care of your plant, as it cannot recover from a cutback if you take too much.
Herbal Actions & Medicinal Uses
Parts Most Frequently Used: Leaves
Flavors: Spicy
Properties: Cooling
Used Most Often As: Tea, infusion, hair tonic/rinse, salve, culinary
With any herbs and supplements, always consult with a licensed health professional before use.
Herbal Actions
There are some herbs that are so common that people forget that they are also powerful medicinal herbs. This is usually the case for flowers used in decorative bouquets and culinary herbs and spices found in the kitchen.
Rosemary has become the latter, with its strong aromatics used in meat and fish dishes, along with soups and stews. But don’t doubt this evergreen powerhouse. In a 2018 study, rosemary was shown to reduce asthma symptoms in people who were otherwise resistant to routine treatments. Participants in this study saw a decrease in asthma symptoms such as coughing, sputum production, and wheezing.6
Below are definitions of the herbal actions. These are some of the herbal actions associated with Rosemary.7
- Anodyne – Supports the relief of pain.
- Anti-inflammatory – Supports a reduction in inflammation and/or swelling.
- Antipyretic – Supports cooling the body when fevers, inflammation, and infections are present.
- Antiseptic – Prevents or kills bacterial growth.
- Astringent – Dries secretions and produces a constricting/binding effect to tissues.
- Diaphoretic – Promotes or produces sweating by increasing circulation in the periphery of the body.
- Nervine – Offers nourishment and calming support for the nervous system.
- Stomatic – Aids in digestion when poor digestion, gas, and lack of appetite are present.
⚠️ A contraindication for this herb would be pregnancy, due to its emmenagogue and abortifacient effects (empirical) and toxic side effects from components of the essential oil. It is listed as a hyperglycemic herb for those with insulin-dependent type I diabetes.⚠️8
Recipe
Rosemary Hair Rinse +
This recipe is almost too simple. If you can get rosemary (fresh or dried – I tried both), then you can do this. There are no exact measurements – use your best judgement.
INGREDIENTS & SUPPLIES
- Large stock pot
- Water (distilled is best, but use what you have)
- 2 Handfuls of dried rosemary or a large bunch of fresh branches
DIRECTIONS
Fill your stockpot with water and bring that water to a boil, then turn the heat to simmer. Drop your rosemary into the pot and give it a good stir to make sure it’s all wet. Let it simmer on the stove until it reduces by half. Breathe deep. If your house is like mine in the winter, all that dry air really wreaks havoc on your sinuses. This rosemary steam will permeate through the house, moisturizing and opening up your head (plus it makes the house smell delightful).
When it is done simmering, turn off the burner and let it cool enough to pour it into glass jars. I strain off all the plant material and set it aside to dry out for future fire pit kindling. I pour the rosemary decoction into glass canning jars and store in the refrigerator. Just before I get into the shower, I grab one of the jars and use it as an herbal hair rinse, pouring it over my scalp and hair, rubbing it in and letting it sit while I shower, then finally rinsing my hair.
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Horticultural Information
It is winter and snow still covers bits and spots of the Glitter Witch Gardens. Most of the plants are dormant with no apparent above ground life, but Rosemary stands tall and still retains her green.
Rosemary is a perennial herb in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. She is a woody shrub that grows between 2′ to 6′ in height and 2′ to 4′ in width. While she likes full sun, she does like to be up against a fence or low wall of some sort to protect from winds. She prefers to have dry feet (roots), so sandy, loamy, well-drained soil with an acidic to neutral pH. She blooms in the spring and summer.
Insects are not the biggest pest to rosemary, but powdery mildew is. This is why well drained soil and plenty of air circulation is vital to your plant’s health. Aphids and spider mites can be an issue, especially when growing rosemary indoors in pots.
Rosemary is a great garden perimeter plant because deer and rodents are generally put off by its odor. This is a bonus in that you get a beautiful shrub border that provides food and medicine, and your garden plants on the inside are protected by the barrier it creates.
GROWING FROM SEED
If you are planing to try to grow rosemary from seed, pack your patience. It is not well known for its germination success, so plant way more seeds than you plan on plants.
- Start by soaking the seeds for 24 hours to improve your chances of germination.
- Take a seed tray and fill it with a seed-starting mix. Soak the mix trays from the bottom overnight while your seeds are soaking.
- Scatter the seeds and lightly cover them with dry mix.
- Create a little greenhouse by covering the trays with a clear plastic wrap to trap the moisture – if your seeds dry out, you’re done.
- Get a heat mat and keep the soil in yoru tray(s) between 80°F and 90°F.
- When seedlings start to appear, remove the plastic wrap and place the tray in bright light.
- You can repot or plant outside when the seedlings reach about three inches tall, as long as the weather is warm enough.
GROWING FROM CUTTINGS
This method is easier than starting by seed, but still not without its challenges. Honestly, I let the farmers get them started and I buy plants to transplant. But for those of you who are just dying to be plant parents from the start, the video below shows you how you can do it. Again, like any parenting advice, pack your patience!
New USDA Hardiness Zone(s), as of 2023: 8-10, but ours winters outside in Zone 7b (NJ).
Materia Magicka
“There are some things I know for certain: always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can.”
~ Sally Owens, Practical Magic
Like its aromatic and healing properties, this gentle herb is powerful and long lasting. She should be used with the deep reverence and respect she so deserves. You would do well to be very clear and specific with your intentions while working with her.
Rosemary is often used in:
- Cleansing spells
- Healing and protection spells
- Love spells
- Remembrance spells
Below is some of the symbolism associated with Rosemary.
| Planets: | Constellations: |
| ☉ Sun | ♌️ Leo |
| Element: | Chakra: |
| 🜂 Fire | ◉ Third Eye Chakra |
| Energy: | Crystals/Stones: |
| ☯ Yang | Selenite |
| Day of the Week: | Celebrations: |
| Sunday | Imbolc |
| Deities: | Tarot: |
| Norse: Freyja Christian: Virgin Mary Greek: Hestia Roman: Vesta Greek: Aphrodite Roman: Venus |
Minor Arcana: Six of Cups … Fond memories of the past. Ancestral remembrance. |
Invitation To Love
As I write this, there is so much strife, anger, confusion, and desperation in our communities that I realized what we need is to invite love into our space. Love is what heals. Love is what transforms. Love is what we need to experience in order to thrive. With that thought, i invite you to intentionally call on love to wrap its arms around you. Rosemary will help you.
Create your sacred space, whether it is setting up an altar, lighting a candle, or calling the quarters and setting a sacred circle. Your way is yours and nothing is “right” or “wrong.”
*Please note that all spells you read (including this one) should be considered a guide, as your intuition and intention are the power behind them.
What You’ll Need:
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- A white candle
- A black candle
- A Selenite stone
- A bowl of water (moon charged water would be great, but not necessary)
- A handful of dried rosemary (spice jar from the grocery store is fine – whatever you have)
Preparations:
- Spread out a cloth on the floor (or on a table) that will act as your alter cloth. pick something that feels special to you.
- Place the bowl in the middle of your cloth and pour your water into the bowl.
- Spread the rosemary in front of the bowl and place the selenite stone on top of the rosemary.
- Place the black candle to the left of the bowl and the white to the right.
Once you have your alter set up, take the dried rosemary and sprinkle it in a circle around your space, starting in the East, then South, then West, ending in the North, then closing your circle. This creates your working and safe, protected space. If you call the quarters, this would be the time to do it.
Light your black candle, recognizing the shadow side of you and life and welcoming it. Light the white candle and recognize the outward side of you and life and welcome it.
Now pick up a sprig of rosemary and the selenite stone. Rosemary and selenite together creates a protective and purified space. Selenite is known for its ability to cleanse and clear negative energy, while rosemary adds an extra layer of protection. Ask both to purify the spaces in your life that need the most love, as well as keeping your energy clear and your environment free from negativity.
When you’re ready, look into the bowl of water. Focus on seeing what your life with love will look like. Picture who will be there with you (pets, people, etc.) and where you will be. Envision with as much detail as possible. Open your heart and look at the reflection of yourself to see love staring back.
Incantation:
While the candles burn and your energy vibrates through the rosemary, the selenite, and the water, chant the following:
I open my heart to let love in,
for friends and lovers, and strangers, and kin.
I choose to see people for who they are,
and listen to meet them wherever they are.
We may be quite different and not see the same,
I am a safe haven with no judgement or shame.
I open my heart for my spirit to grow,
so love’s healing energy will freely flow.
Feel every part of your being fill with love and be protected by the ever strengthening shield of that love. Thank the entities that joined you in your circle and ask hte element of air to carry the messages of fire as you blow out your candles.
Close your circle in a way you deem appropriate – don’t forget to thank any deities you might have called to help. When your ritual is done, offer the water, rosemary, and the selenite back to Mother Earth as a thank you. Know that your energy will now be part of the sacred mycelium of the Earth to spread to others.
✨💖 ✨ Blessed Be. ✨💖 ✨
References
The following sources were used to research the above information.
- Fruman, S. (2017, May 2). Practical Magic: Rosemary—The great nervous system healer. Wanderlust. https://wanderlust.com/journal/practical-magic-rosemary-great-nervous-system-healer/
- Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis. (n.d.). Wisconsin Horticulture. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/rosemary-rosemarinus-officinalis/
- International Herb Association. (2023, May 30). Herb of the Year™ – The International Herb Association. The International Herb Association. https://www.iherb.org/herb-of-the-year/
- Grieve, M. (1971, p. 682). A Modern Herbal: The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, & Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses. Courier Corporation.
- Nielsen, L. (2023, July 18). How To Harvest Rosemary The Right Way. Epic Gardening. https://www.epicgardening.com/how-to-harvest-rosemary/
- Tierra, M. (1998). The way of herbs. Simon and Schuster.
- Mirsadraee, M., Tavakoli, A., Ghorani, V., & Ghafari, S. (2018). Effects of Rosmarinus officinalis and Platanus orientalis extracts on asthmatic subjects resistant to routine treatments. Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 8(5), 399-407. doi: 10.22038/ajp.2018.25278.1925 (https://ajp.mums.ac.ir/article_10440.html)
- Brinker, F. J. (1998, pp. 117,166,179). Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions: With Appendices Addressing Specific Conditions and Medicines.
- Wichtl, M. (2001). Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals: A Handbook for practice on a scientific basis. https://yhewacot.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/herbal-drugs-and-phytopharmaceuticals-a-handbook-for-practice-on-a-scientific-basis.pdf
- Iannotti, M. (2024, December 21). How to Grow and Care for Rosemary. The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/grow-and-care-for-rosemary-plants-1403406
- Tarot.com Staff. (2023, February 22). Plants and herbs for your zodiac sign. Tarot.com. https://www.tarot.com/astrology/plants-herbs-zodiac-sign
- Bowen, K., & Bowen, K. (2024, August 27). Unlocking the Power of Crystal & Herb Pairings: A guide to Manifesting your Intentions. The Stone Sanctuary. https://www.thestonesanctuary.com/blogs/news/unlocking-the-power-of-crystal-herb-pairings-a-guide-to-manifesting-your-intentions
- Amari, A. (2024, November 11). Three cards for remembrance – Adrienne Amari. https://adrienneamari.com/tarot-cards-remembrance/
- Rev. D. Philp (2025)
Photo References
- Rosemary Seeds – Datiles, M. J., & Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. (2022). Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) [Dataset]. In CABI Compendium. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.47678
