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Rosmarinus officinalis 'Roman Beauty' PP18,192 (Roman Beauty Rosemary) - A compact and slow growing semi-upright Rosemary with slightly arching stems bearing narrow mid-green leaves and violet-blue flowers in late winter and spring. This plant will likely get somewhat larger but 2-year-old plants measured only 16 inches tall by 12 inches wide.
Plant in full sun. As with other Rosemary it is resistant to deer and rabbit predation, tolerant to salt spray, alkaline soils and drought. Hardy to 15°F. A very attractive rosemary cultivar with a very unique compact and upright habit with arching branches. It is noted as having a higher oil content and spicy flavor when used as an herb when cooking.
This plant was discovered by Christopher Fairweather, nurseryman and garden writer from Beaulieu, Hampshire, England. It reportedly was an open pollinated seedling from an unnamed prostrate Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis “Prostratus Group”) from which it differs by having a more upright and tidier habit. It was noted for its improved habit, mid green foliage on short internodes and was selected for these traits and for its ease of shipping. It was granted US Plant Patent PP18,192 on November 13, 2007 and is being marketed in the United States by PlantHaven. It is also part of the Sunset Garden plant collection marketed as Chef's Choice Rosemary.
Rosemary is native to the dry, rocky areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The name for the genus comes from the Latin name first published by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 for this aromatic shrub means sea dew, derived from the Latin words 'ros' meaning "dew" and 'marinus' meaning of the sea." The specific epithet is the Latin word that signifies a plant sold as a medicinal herb.
Recent DNA analysis now shows the genus Rosmarinus to be fit squarely into the massive Salvia genus, which already has about 1,000 species. Since the specific epithet "officinalis" is already used in the genus Salvia, the new name for our common rosemary is now officially Salvia rosmarinus. Joining Rosmarinus in this move to Salvia is Perovskia and the little know genera Dorystaechas, Meriandra and Zhumeria. This change was published in an article by University of Nebraska biologist Bryan T. Drew, Jesús González-Gallegos, Chun-Lei Xiang, Ricardo Kriebel, Chloe Drummond, Jay Walker and Kenneth Sytsma titled "Salvia united: The greatest good for the greatest number" in the February 2017 issue of Taxon 66(1):133-145. For the sake of our customers and ourselves, we continue to list the Rosemary in the genus Rosmarinus!
This information about Rosmarinus officinalis 'Roman Beauty' PP18,192 displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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