Rosemary Varieties for the Holidays

If you want rosemary for the Thanksgiving roast, pick an upright variety. If you want it spilling over a wall or pot, pick a trailing one. All six varieties below are the same species and all are edible, but they differ a lot in shape, size, cold tolerance and how much usable harvest they give you. Rosemary comes in two broad forms. Upright types grow into shrubs with long, straight stems, which is what most cooks want. Trailing or creeping types stay low and spread, so they shine as groundcovers and container spillers but give shorter sprigs.

THE UPRIGHT GROWERS

'Arp': the cold-hardy one

'Arp' is the pick if your winters are too cold for most rosemary. Plantswoman Madalene Hill found it in 1987 growing in Arp, a small town in northeast Texas, and it is widely called the most cold-hardy culinary rosemary. Most rosemary gives out around 20°F but 'Arp' is reliable through zone 7 and can make it into zone 6 in a sheltered, well-drained spot. It grows into an upright shrub, usually 3 to 5 feet tall, with gray-green needles and light blue spring flowers. The flavor is strong and resinous, so a little goes a long way. Its weak spot is wet soil as it is prone to root rot in heavy, soggy ground.

'Barbeque': the skewer rosemary

'Barbeque' is named for its stiff, straight stems, which are strong enough to strip and use as kebab skewers. It grows fast, stands very upright, takes pruning well, and is known for especially good flavor and aroma. For Thanksgiving, the long woody stems are ideal for skewering roasted vegetables or tucking whole into a turkey cavity.

'Tuscan Blue': the tall classic

'Tuscan Blue' is one of the tallest rosemaries, often reaching 4 to 6 feet, with broader, glossier leaves than most varieties and bright, deep blue flowers. It blooms from late winter into spring, so it may already be flowering around the holidays in mild climates. It is a dependable culinary rosemary with a classic flavor that some growers describe as a bit milder than other types. It is less cold-hardy than 'Arp', generally rated for zones 8 to 10.

_____________________________________

THE TRAILING GROWERS

'Huntington Carpet': the groundcover

'Huntington Carpet' is the spreader of the group. It stays 1 to 2 feet tall but grows quickly to about 8 feet wide, forming a dense mat that fills right to the ground. Deep blue flowers appear in winter and early spring, and it looks especially good cascading over retaining walls. In the kitchen, use it as you would any rosemary but just expect shorter cuttings.

'Prostratus':the original creeping rosemary

'Prostratus' is the classic trailing form. Its stems arch downward and pale blue flower clusters appear in spring and summer. It typically stays under 2 feet tall and spreads 4 to 6 feet. It is one of the more tender types, generally rated for zone 8 and up.

'Blue Cascade': the container showpiece

'Blue Cascade' is a newer trailing variety that forms spilling mounds over walls and pot edges. Its standout feature is its flowers, which are larger than average and violet-blue. It reaches 12 to 16 inches tall with trailing branches up to about 2 feet long, and the foliage has a citrus-and-pine scent. Its compact size makes it the easiest of the six to grow in a pot and bring indoors for winter.