Rosemary is one of the most widely grown herbs all over the world. The herb is evergreen and perennial with needle-shaped leaves. The flowers of the herb range from white to blue. Until today biologists have discovered 24 cultivars of rosemary, and each cultivar has varying leaf and flower colors. But why is a rosemary flowering? In this post, you will learn all you need to know about rosemary flowering, why isn’t rosemary flowering, how to encourage bloom in rosemary, and what to do with rosemary flowers.
Certainly, innumerable factors play a crucial role in rosemary flowering, such as sandy porous soil with little to no natural or artificial fertilizers. Rosemary herb flowers due to plenty of sunshine it receives during late spring and early summer. The third factor for the rosemary to flower is a well-draining soil.
Furthermore, several factors can cause your rosemary not to flower. The factors that restrict your rosemary blooming include excessive nitrogen fertilizer, less sunshine during early spring, use of improper soil. Extravagant pruning during the early spring and winter season causes your rosemary to not flower.
The first section of this article discusses rosemary blooming, all other factors influencing rosemary flowering, and what to do with rosemary flowers. The second section is related to reasons that prevent the herb from flowering. And last but not least, the third section covers all the frequently asked questions.
Why is a rosemary flowering?
Many herbs like rosemary flower in two seasons; the initial flowering starts with the spring season. The second season of flowering kicks in with the start of the summer season, and ends with the dawn of the winter season.
Rosemary plants are flowering to complete their reproductive cycle. It flowers to form fruiting bodies. A warm, dry climate with lots and lots of sunshine promotes the natural and internal flowering cycle in the herb.
Seasonal light pruning promotes the extent of flowering and flowering density.
What do rosemary flowers look like?
As mentioned in the introductory part, 24 cultivars of rosemary vary in color. They can range from white to pink. The table below shows the most widely grown rosemary types with the color of their flowers and leaves.
| Species | Flower Color | Leaf Color |
| Majorca Pink | Pink Flowers | Soft Green Leaves |
| Tuscan Blue | Blue Flowers | Green Leaves |
| Madeline Hill | Blue Flowers | Green Leaves |
| Golden Rain | Dark Blue Flowers | Golden Leaves |
Among 24 rosemary cultivars, the most common cultivars grown in an indoor and outdoor garden include:
- Benden Blue Rosemary
- Miss Jessoppi Upright Rosemary
- Square Sea Rosemary
- Sissinghurst Blue Rosemary
- ‘Prostrate’ rosemary (stays rather small and is good for growing indoors, in pots)
Rosemary flowering time
Rosemary flowering time depends on the environmental conditions and rosemary internal clock (the herb flowers in two seasons). The first flowering time is the spring season, and the second season for flowering is early summer. Spring flowering time for rosemary starts in March and ends in April. Early summer flowering kicks in May and ends in June.
What to do with rosemary flowers? Uses of rosemary flowers
The flowers of rosemary are small in varying colors. The essential parts of the herb include stems, roots, leaves, and flowers. Mainly leaves are harvested in rosemary for cooking. So, what to do with the flowers of the rosemary? Consider the following points and uses of rosemary flowers:
- First and foremost, remove all the dead, dying, and diseased flowers and throw them away. They can spread diseases and other fungal spores. If flowers have lost color, also discard them.
- Mature flowers of rosemary can be handpicked and stored in bowls and glass jars.
- Use handpicked rosemary flowers to extract rosemary essential volatile oil. The rosemary oil from flowers is superior to oil obtained from leaves and stems.
What are the uses of rosemary extracted oil from flowers? There are numerous uses of rosemary oil. Let’s discuss them.
The oil extracted from the herb flowers can have soothing and relieving effects for cramps and arthritis. Apply the rosemary oil on aching muscles and joints at night. What is more, applying rosemary essential oil extracted from flowers and leaves can help prevent premature baldness and even hair loss.
There are numerous vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in rosemary oil that help fight illness and boost overall health. What is more, rosemary oil can help increase blood circulation in vessels and improve immune defense. Rosemary aromatherapy is great for boosting memory and alertness.
In conclusion, remove all the diseased and dead flowers, throw them away, and keep fresh and growing flowers. Upon maturity, collect them and obtain rosemary essential oil.
Rosemary blooming – how to help rosemary bloom
Rosemary is an evergreen, perennial herb with fragrant leaves and nectar-rich flowers. The blooming period starts in the spring season and ends in late summer. Some rosemary species bloom during early summer, and the flowering maturity cycle ends in winter.
Good drainage soils with little to no fertilizers and 8 to 12 hours of sunlight per day are crucial for flowering. Rosemary happily flowers in hot and dry environments. Flowers, leaves and stems are always prone to insect infestations such as spiders, mites, mealybugs, whiteflies and thrips. It is always a good horticultural practice to always check for pests and act if you see them. You can find all about rosemary pests here (opens in a new tab).
Overcrowding and no pruning affect rosemary flowering to a great extent. Do a light pruning of the rosemary once or twice a year, and hard pruning – every four years. This will help maintain a fresh rosemary herb with an elegant flowering pattern.
Rosemary thrives and flowers better in sandy and gritty soil that offers good drainage. To promote blooming, add girt, sand or perlite. This practice makes the soil well-draining and high-performing for the herb. If you have cold winters with below freezing temperatures, add mulch on top of the soil with the beginning of cold season. Don’t forget to remove it in the spring to prevent bug infestations and disease in your rosemary.
Always grow rosemary herb in big pots. Small pots affect root growth, nutrient absorption, overall health and blooming. Make sure that the plant is lifted in the pot to allow good drainage. Bee farming can be coordinated with rosemary blooming. Rosemary flowers contain more nectar than most perennial flowers. A great deal of profit can be made yearly as well.
Why is my rosemary not flowering?
Flowering in rosemary is an excellent sign of proper growth and development of the plant. Many factors can prevent rosemary from flowering. These factors may be seasonal, environmental, or care-related. The following points include the main points connected to the lack of flowering in rosemary plants.
- Excessive fertilization, especially nitrogen fertilizer application
- Growing rosemary in shade or lack of light
- Non-draining and heavy soils
- Harsh and deep pruning
- Overcrowding
- Rosemary affected by pests and diseases
Too much fertilizer
Rosemary is naturally adapted and evolutionary evolved to sandy soils with poor nutrient ratios. It thrives best and produces elegant and fresh-looking flowers in natural poor sandy soils. Rosemary plants are used to growing in dry soil that is pretty much deprived of proper fertilization. This means that rosemary doesn’t have high fertilization needs. You can avoid fertilizing your rosemary at all.
Imagine a farmer growing rosemary in nutrient-rich soil. He applies both natural and artificial fertilizers expecting fresh and giant flowers. To his surprise, he will get little to no flowers at all. Fertilizers will promote foliage and shoot growth, but limit flower production. Fertilizers are negatively correlated with flower production or blooming.
To avoid such a disaster, do not add fertilizers externally. If you have applied any fertilizer, wait until next season – the soil will adapt to it. It will be ready to flower, usually next season. Deep watering can help flush out excess fertilizers and salts. What is more, you can add perlite or sand to help your rosemary recover from fertilizer toxicity.
However, if your rosemary plant starts looking a bit pale and weak, you can feed with a fertilizer designed for herbs or leafy crops like this. You can also apply a homemade fertilizer for your rosemary 1-2 a year, such as coffee grounds (apply at around 5-6″ deep).
Lack of light and growing rosemary in shade
Rosemary is a sunlight-loving plant. It grows and flowers well in lots and lots of sunshine. Sunlight also has a direct effect on rosemary flowering, the number of leaves and the aroma.
Growing rosemary in the shade will affect its overall health and flowering ability. 10-12 hours of light is optimal for rosemary plants. 6-8 hours of direct sunlight is a bare minimum. If you don’t get much sunlight or are growing your rosemary indoors, you can use fluorescent/LED grow light like this. Depending on a grow light, you might need to use it for 12-16 hours a day.
If your rosemary is planted in the wrong spot that doesn’t get much light throughout the day, you might need to replant it as soon as possible. Replant just before the cold season, around 3-4 weeks before the start of a winter season.
Heavy soil and overcrowding
Non-draining heavy (including clay) soils can be detrimental for rosemary plants. Rosemary plants need light soil that drains easily. Avoid overcrowding the rosemary plants – they should have a distance of 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) between each other. Otherwise, water won’t evaporate from the bottom part of the shrub, and sunlight won’t reach the plant’s branches and leaves. This will further deprive some parts of essential sunlight, and in turn, photosynthesis.
Diseases and pest infestations
Health is wealth. If your rosemary is weak, it will also affect flowering. It affects the blooming period, the number of leaves and the ratio of flowers.
The health of rosemary is affected by several reasons and factors. Such as:
- Poor draining soils
- Pots that are too small
- Overwatering
- Heavy and intense rainfall
To avoid the chances of affecting the health of the herb negatively, follow the following guidelines:
- Overwatering must be avoided.
- Water the pot once every two weeks or so during the hot and dry summer season.
- Water when soil is dry.
- Provide well-draining, sandy, and soft soil.
- Keep the herb in a place where it receives plenty of sunshine and fresh air.
- Always check for pests and abnormal coloration etc.
You can find all about rosemary pests and diseases here (new tab).
Harsh and deep pruning
All plants and herbs perform better when light pruned, but complex and frequent pruning is bad. It affects the number of buds on each shoot and thus the number of flowers. Hard pruning increases the chances that you may cut floral buds. So, extensive and frequent pruning must be avoided for better flowering.
Light pruning once or twice a year is important for rosemary’s health. However, over-pruning can definitely kill a plant and prevent it from flowering. Never prune bare branches, because they won’t bud again. Never cut more than 1/4 of the whole rosemary plant, because it might fail to recover. If you want to use some rosemary immediately for cooking, take 6-inch (15.2 cm) sections of young new leaves from the top.
Learn about correct pruning of rosemary here.
How to make rosemary bloom?
It is an easy job to make your rosemary bloom. Certain conditions must be met, and the plant is highly likely to bloom normally. The following conditions must be kept in mind to get elegant rosemary blooming.
- Prepare and make well-draining soils, i.e., sandy soils.
- Over-watering must be avoided. Water only and only when the soil is dry enough.
- Water every 2 to 3 weeks during summers, while winter avoids watering because it soaks water from the atmosphere.
- Limit the use of fertilizers. Fertilizers multiply foliage development multiple times while it drastically reduces the extent of flowering.
- Avoid hard and frequent pruning.
Thank you for reading this post! To learn more about rosemary care and growing, see this page.