Rosemary officinalis
Rosmarinus officinalis.
An evergreen shrub in the height of 20-80 cm. Refers to the flora of the entire Mediterranean region, where it grows in the wild. It was known in biblical times, grew on the slopes of the mountains and hills of Lebanon, together with lavender medicinal, jelly, ordinary sage, medicinal sage, thyme and melissa officinalis. Even the ancient Greeks valued it as a sacred plant that was burned on a sacrificial fire, receiving fragrant smoke, to Europe rosemary was brought by monks.
Description: the branches are covered with narrow linear, wrapped at the edges from below with white-lustrous leaves. In the sinuses of narrow leaves, bluish or purple flowers with a two-lipped aureole are collected in brushes. Blooms from June to August. Fruits are nuts.
Composition: leaves contain up to 2% essential oil( including cineole, camphor, borneol, limonene, pinene and camphene), tannins, resins, terpenes, flavonoids, bitterness.
Cultivation: rosemary can be planted in gardens and balconies. Rosemary, due to its southern origin, is a heat-loving plant and prefers sun-protected areas when grown. With regard to the soil, rosemary is not very demanding,
, but the soils must be warm, well-warmed and permeable, sufficiently calcareous and nutritious. Requires regular watering, especially abundant in the first year of plant life. It is recommended as a top dressing watering with compost water and herbal infusions. To obtain the planting material, the seeds are sown in April in peat pots, the germination time is very long, so the sowing should be performed no later than mid-May. The rosemary reproduces by cuttings, which, after rooting, are transplanted into the garden or tub, as well as by the root layers and the division of the bush that is produced in the autumn. Rosemary in a tub with the onset of colds is transferred to a protected room, where it hibernates at a temperature of 5 ° C.The leaves are ( Folium rosmarini, Folium rosis marini). The largest producers and suppliers of rosemary at the moment are Yugoslavia, France, Italy, Spain and Greece.
Medicinal properties: effective against flatulence, improves digestion and has a strong irritant effect on the skin. In folk medicine is used for baths, essential oil is used for grinding, strengthens the nerves and dilates the vessels. Rosemary has a curative effect with low blood pressure, nervous disorders, a feeling of tension, with states of general exhaustion and sexual weakness. It helps to increase the secretion of gastric juice, has a beneficial effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Application: It has a strong sweetish and camphor smell, reminiscent of the smell of pine, and very spicy and slightly spicy taste. In the pharmaceutical industry, medicinal preparations, medicinal teas, tinctures, ointments, and patches are prepared from it, and it is also used to produce an essential oil that is used in the cosmetic industry. Aromatic rosemary oil can be rubbed whiskey in attacks of headache and even prevent the development of migraine. Grated leaves of rosemary are used as spices. In small quantities, they are added to vegetable soups and dishes, salads, minced meat, fried meat, fried poultry, mushrooms, boiled fish, red and white cabbage and marinades. Give a pleasant taste to mild chicken, carafel, game, fish and yeast dough. A typical taste is acquired with the addition of rosemary, a dish of lamb, goulash from beef, mutton and tomato soup, as well as beef, lamb and veal cooked in the grill.