RE: rosemary cultivar ideas

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‘Anna Hulka’

‘Giradus’

‘Gorizia’

‘Santa Barbara’

“Spanish (Majorca)”

‘Blue Spire’

‘Herb Cottage’

‘Huntington Blue’

‘Lockwood de Forest’

‘Madeline Hill’

‘Miss Jessup’s Upright’

‘Mozart’

‘Nancy Howard’

‘Salem’*

‘Sawyer’s Blue’

‘Taylor’s Blue’

‘Tuscan Blue’

‘Very Oily’

My guess is that all of these cultivars are hardy to Seattle's winters (Zone 7-8),  The hardiest rosemarys are 'Arp', 'Hill Hardy' and 'Salem' but I've never seen 'Arp' nor 'Hill Hardy' on the most edible lists.

I think more important than "hardiness" for a rosemary's survival in Seattle would be the protection against wet, cold feet.  And, in some areas, protection against winter winds.

As for growth habit, you'll have to do your homework on the above.  I have a theory that the gene for flavor is connected with the gene for uprightness.  The lower the variety, the more it has the piney-kerosene flavors.

From: Margaret Nottle <margn@internode.on.net>
Subject: RE: rosemary cultivar ideas
To: bridgetlamp@gmail.com, "'med'" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Thursday, December 18, 2008, 7:20 AM

Rosemaries hardy enough for you will take a bit of homework. I suggest you search out either Oliver Filippi’s book about Med plants or check out his website (google him and see what you get) I think the place is called Pepinierre Filippi. Anyway he grows things he has collected all over the Med and may have selected some really cold hardy forms. He’s well known ‘in the trade’ so may have business relationships with CA based nurseries.

 

trevor nottle

 

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From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu] On Behalf Of Bridget Lamp
Sent: Thursday, 18 December 2008 1:10 PM
To: med
Subject: rosemary cultivar ideas

 

Hope everyone is staying warm out there!

I'm looking for a rosemary that is good both for it's culinary properties and has a good size and shape. I don't want something hedge-like, yet not too small.  It will be next to a small water feature and will take the place of a phormium I am removing--I'm fine with it not filling the whole space the phormium occupies now.  That is part of the reason for its removal. And it's become a slug and snail condo so out it goes.

Thank you for your advice!
Bridget
Seattle , WA -- where it's been snowing and below freezing the last few days!