A question I have often been asked is why somebody’s rosemary bush has started flowering and what it means. I have written this article to answer exactly that, so if you’re wondering the same, you’re about to find out.
Rosemary produces small purple flowers every year. For some herbs, flowering means that they are nearing the end of their life cycle but since rosemary is a perennial this isn’t the case and the plant will resume growing and producing foliage again once it finishes flowering.
Flowering is a completely normal thing and not something to be concerned about, but why does it happen?
Rosemary will flower as a natural part of its reproductive cycle. The flowers contain reproductive organs that facilitate pollination. After successful pollination, seeds are developed, ensuring the continuation of the rosemary plant’s life cycle.
Rosemary flowers are excellent at attracting bees and other pollinating insects. This is typically how the pollen is spread to other flowers (this is what pollination is) and also the most effective way, however, it can also happen as a result of winds carrying pollen around.
It is most common for rosemary to go through one flowering period per year, however, certain climate conditions and pruning techniques can result in two annual flowering periods.
In summary, the purpose of rosemary flowering is to facilitate reproduction by attracting pollinators, allowing for pollination, seed production, and dispersal, ultimately ensuring the survival of the species.
Factors That Trigger Flowering in Rosemary
Even though rosemary usually begins flowering on its own at some point without you doing anything, it is good to know what triggers the flowering process. It is not triggered by one specific thing but rather a combination of several things.
These factors all affect flowering in rosemary.
- Day length
- Temperature
- Amount of sunlight
- Root health
- Soil type
- Nutrient levels
- Pruning technique
- Watering technique
Rosemary’s annual cycle is largely determined by the length of the day, temperature, and amount of sunlight the plant receives. This typically means that it will flower in the spring and summer, although it varies depending on where in the world it is growing. I have written another article where you can learn more about rosemary’s flowering time in different parts of the world.
While climate conditions play the biggest role in triggering flowering in rosemary, growing conditions such as soil type, nutrient levels, and watering are also important. Rosemary needs well-draining soil without much organic matter and it needs somewhat dry conditions to thrive.
Lastly, pruning can be used as a technique to (sometimes) trigger a second flowering later in the season. If you want to learn more about pruning and how to do it, I have written a full guide on how to prune rosemary.
What To Do When Rosemary Is Flowering (2 Options)
It is generally a good sign if rosemary is flowering. It usually indicates that the plant is healthy and thriving. However, when it happens, you might have to do something depending on your goals.
You have two options for what to do when your rosemary is flowering. Allow me to elaborate.
Option 1: Remove the flowers to promote foliage growth
The first option for what to do when rosemary is flowering involves removing the flowers to promote lush foliage growth instead of flowering.
By removing the flowers, you can help redirect some of the plant’s energy towards foliage growth rather than flowering, which can result in a bushier and more productive plant in the short term. In the longer term, it won’t make much of a difference, especially if you prune your plant every year anyway, which I always recommend doing.
That’s why I almost always go for the second option when my rosemary is flowering.
If you decide that you prefer to remove the flowers, you must do it the right way, so I recommend reading another article I wrote specifically about how to remove rosemary flowers without damaging the plant.
Option 2: Allow the plant to flower
Option 2 is to allow the plant to flower freely. Of course, this is much easier and takes much less time since you don’t have to do anything compared to option 1, but it also has several other benefits.
Rosemary flowers are excellent at attracting bees and other pollinating insects, which benefit your garden as a whole by pollinating your plants and increasing fruit production.
On top of that, the flowers can be picked and eaten. I like to use them as a nice, colorful garnish. They taste similar to the leaves but a bit milder.
If you want to learn more about this, I have written another article about what happens when rosemary is flowering.
What do I do and recommend?
Of course, the right thing to do depends on your goals. If you don’t care about the flowers or the benefits they bring but prefer foliage growth, go for the first option. Otherwise, go for option 2.
In my opinion, the best option is by far option 2. To allow the plant to flower. I have recommended this to people over and over again if they weren’t sure what to do.
Increased pollination in your garden, edible flowers, and beautiful purple flowers are huge advantages (in my opinion) but the fact that you don’t have to spend additional time is also great. The flowers will appear faster and faster until you most likely won’t be able to keep up. It is not easy to prevent it or even delay it because it is, after all, what the plant wants, so it will spend a lot of energy on making it happen.
If you still need some help deciding what to do, I recommend taking a look at my complete guide to rosemary flowering. At the beginning of the article, I compare all the advantages and disadvantages of letting your rosemary flower. Later in the article, I cover everything else about the topic including what happens to the plant when it is flowering, why it happens, how to solve different flowering-related problems, and much more.
Using Flowering Rosemary (For Food and Other Purposes)
A very common (and also important) question I have often been asked is whether or not it is ok to use rosemary when it is flowering.
I suppose this question has two parts. If you can eat rosemary when it is flowering and if you can cut from it without damaging the plant.
The answer to both is yes.
It is perfectly fine to harvest from rosemary when it is flowering and also perfectly safe to eat the plant. You can even eat the flowers. I like to use them as a nice, colorful garnish.
Some people say that the taste changes a bit when the plant is flowering, but I don’t feel it that much.
One thing you have to keep in mind if you choose to harvest from your flowering rosemary is that it will grow back slower than when it is not flowering since most of the energy is used on flowering and seed production rather than foliage growth and production.