Blooming rosemary is very pretty to look at - the mostly light blue, small labial flowers are arranged like a whorl in the leaf axils. Depending on the variety, the herb also flowers white or soft pink. A planting with groups of rosemary flowers in different colors has a striking effect - not only for the eye, but also for bees, butterflies, etc., a popular pasture.
When and how does rosemary bloom?
Rosemary blooms mainly from March to May and sometimes in September. Cold overwintering promotes flowering. The flowers are edible and can be used fresh or dried in various dishes. They also serve as pasture for bees.
Cold overwintering promotes rosemary blooms
The flowering period of rosemary is usually from March to May, although some varieties also bloom in September. The flowers do not harm the spicy aroma of the leaves; you can safely harvest and use the needles even during the flowering period. After a strong summer cut, the rosemary sometimes blooms a second time. All you have to do is cut out the dead stems. The plant then feels encouraged to bloom again because the dead parts are cut off and cannot develop seeds and therefore cannot mature.
Rosemary doesn't bloom - what to do?
Many rosemary grows and grows - but never blooms. The lack of rosemary blossom is usually due to overwintering that is too warm - for example on the windowsill in the heated kitchen. Overwinter your rosemary either outside (if it is a hardy variety) or indoors under cold house conditions, i.e. H. at a maximum of 12 °C. Rosemary needs a winter break and will only bloom again when the cold winter is followed by warmer spring temperatures.
Rosemary flowers are edible
Many people only use the leaves of rosemary in the kitchen, but the delicate flowers are also edible. They taste best fresh from the bush, sprinkled directly over salads or desserts. Rosemary flowers are generally used as decoration, but not directly in cooking.
Rosemary sorbet
This delicate sorbet goes wonderfully as a side dish or as an intermediate course to fish or meat dishes.
- Mix one cup each of water and orange juice with one and a half cups of sugar and four tablespoons of rosemary.
- You can use either fresh or dried rosemary.
- Cook the mixture for about five minutes.
- Sift the mixture, the rosemary needles are quite hard.
- Now add a spoonful of honey, a cup of red wine and a cup of lime juice.
- Stir well.
- Freeze the mixture in the ice cream maker or freezer.
- Sprinkle the finished sorbet with fresh rosemary flowers.
Harvesting and preserving flowers
There are various ways to preserve rosemary flowers. Harvest the flowers either as a whole branch or individually. Rosemary twigs can be dried hanging in a warm, dark place, but place the individual flowers on a tray lined with baking paper and put them in the oven to dry at a maximum of 30 °C. The dried flowers should be stored in an airtight container. Alternatively, preservation in coarse sea s alt is also possible.
Tips & Tricks
The flowers of rosemary are a popular pasture for bees. Since rosemary blooms quite early in the year at a time when bees, bumblebees and butterflies sometimes have difficulty finding food, plant the herb specifically for these busy, honey-collecting insects.
