Myth, history, and tradition of rosemary

The rosemary plant (Rosmarinus officinalis) has always been known for its fragrant and aromatic nature, as well as its remarkable medicinal properties.

According to a shared belief, its Latin name Rosmarinus might derive from the combination of the words “ros” and “maris“, meaning “dew of the sea“, referencing the lilac-indigo color of its flowers reminiscent of the sea.

Numerous legends add fascination to this plant.

 

Let’s begin with mythology. How did this plant come into existence?

The most beautiful legend is undoubtedly narrated by Ovid in “Metamorphoses.” It tells the tale of Apollo’s love for Princess Leucotoe, the daughter of the King of Babylon, who was kept confined by her father within his palace. To seduce her, Apollo secretly entered the chambers of the young princess, who promptly surrendered to the god’s love. However, Clizia, a nymph in love with Apollo but rejected by him, informed the furious king of the affair. In his anger, the king had his daughter buried alive. Sunbeams penetrated the tomb of the young princess, reaching her remains, and she slowly transformed into a plant with an intense fragrance, slender leaves, and pale violet-blue flowers: rosemary.

The subsequent funerary use of this plant is linked to this legend. In Northern Europe, during funerals, tradition dictated that the deceased be accompanied to the cemetery holding a sprig of rosemary. Similarly, in Italy, the deceased’s head was adorned with a crown composed of rosemary, laurel, and myrtle.

Many legends have contributed to the understanding of the various uses of this plant as a medicinal remedy.

It is said that in the 17th century, Queen Isabella of Hungary, in her seventies and plagued by ailments, regained health and a second youth, thanks to rosemary.

In the South of France, there is still a custom of smoking rosemary flowers in a pipe with eucalyptus leaves to ward off phlegm and bronchitis. Women would burn the needles on stoves to ease the breathing of those with flu.

As evident, rosemary not only captivates with its fragrance but also enchants with the numerous legends in which it plays a role.

 

Before delving into various curiosities about the uses of this plant, let’s take a brief look at its background.

 

Belonging to the Lamiaceae family, rosemary is very common in the wild along all the coasts of the Mediterranean and on the dry, sunny slopes of our southern regions. It is a shrub with evergreen leaves, ranging from a few tens of centimeters to two to three meters in height; the erect or often base-lying stem is highly branched. The leaves are leathery, persistent, grouped in young branches, and arranged in pairs at each node. The flowers are grouped in clusters at the axils of the upper leaves; the corolla is blue and tubular. The fruit consists of four ovoid achenes with a smooth, brown surface, enclosed at the base of the calyx.

It cannot withstand strong frost, especially in areas with frequent fog or where the soil is poorly permeable to water.

The twigs and young leaves are harvested in spring, avoiding the lignified ones.

How is it preserved?

The twigs are dried in the shade, arranged in thin layers or gathered in not-too-tight bunches, and then stored in glass or porcelain containers.

It is the rosemary twigs that play a fundamental role in the use of this plant as a kitchen flavoring.

What gives rise to that wonderful fragrance?

It is precisely from the leaves that the essential oil and other extracts are obtained, used in perfumery, cosmetics, liquor making, and pharmacy. The essential oil has stimulating and rubefacient properties useful for treating bruises, joint and muscle pain, rheumatism, and stiff neck.

As mentioned earlier, in addition to its common use as a culinary herb, rosemary is mainly used due to its numerous healing properties.

It is considered an excellent stimulant, an antispasmodic, a cholagogue, and an external antiparasitic. Moreover, it is often used in cases of fluid retention, cellulite, varicose veins, baldness, dandruff, oily, lifeless, or weak hair, alopecia, blackheads, impure skin (to be avoided in case of couperose and sensitive skin, heart problems). It is used for relaxing and toning baths (cosmetic use).

Herbalist tips. Let’s conclude with some “do-it-yourself” remedies.

To aid digestion, stimulate diuresis, and soothe coughs: pour a tablespoon of leaves into a teacup of hot water and cover. Filter after 5 minutes and drink.

A bath against fatigue: pour 80 grams of rosemary leaves into a liter of hot water and boil for 10 minutes. Filter and pour into the bathtub.

Against hair loss: steep 50 grams of rosemary leaves in 100 grams of 60° alcohol for 8 days. Filter with a cloth and squeeze. Add 300 grams of distilled water and use for frictions in the morning and evening, continuing the treatment for a long time.

Finally, let’s conclude with a culinary recipe that always comes in handy.

How to prepare Rosemary Liqueur?

Ingredients:

– 300 ml of 95° alcohol

– 4-5 sprigs of rosemary

– 3 lemons

– 1 orange

– 350 ml of water

– 300 grams of sugar

Direction:

Wash the rosemary sprigs under running water, let them dry on a cloth, then remove the leaves and weigh 20 grams. Peel the lemons and orange, put the peels in a hermetically sealed glass jar, add the rosemary leaves, pour the alcohol over them, and let it all macerate for 48 hours. After this time, squeeze the citrus fruits and put the juice in a stainless steel saucepan, add water and sugar, boil for five minutes, then let it cool. Add this syrup to the contents of the glass jar, mix, and then filter the liquid through a linen cloth. At this point, put the rosemary liqueur obtained in a glass bottle, cork it, place it in the refrigerator, and consume after about a month.

Dr. DI LEVA LUISANA