Rosemary is described as a woody, perennial herb that can become a bushy shrub. The leaves are evergreen and needlelike in shape, and they produce the essential oil that gives rosemary its characteristic scent. They are dark green on the upper side, and the underside has a dense covering of short, white, woolly hairs. Some varieties of rosemary grow in an upright form, and stalks can reach five feet tall. Other varieties have a trailing form with the branches curving downward into a cascade effect.
The small flowers of rosemary can be blue, violet, purple, pink, or white, depending on the variety. They are fragrant and attract bees, butterflies, and some birds, which the plant depends on for pollination. In temperate climates the plant flowers in spring and summer, but in warmer areas it can bloom year round.
The essential oil rosemary produces contains camphor and rosmarinic acid. The latter has been shown in scientific studies to inhibit enzymes linked to neurological disorders that cause memory loss. Rosmarinic acid has also been found to have strong antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
