Trailing Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus
A prostrate form of rosemary with aromatic foliage and butter yellow flowers, perfect for borders and containers.
Evergreen and hardy in USDA zones 8-11, it withstands low-desert frost into the low 20s°F and thrives in reflected heat, asking mainly for dry, well-drained soil.
AMWUA Notes
A low-water, edible Mediterranean groundcover that doubles as a culinary herb; overwatering, not heat, is its chief enemy.
Care Guide
Water every 10-14 days once established and let the soil dry between; this Mediterranean herb resents constant moisture and needs excellent drainage.
Shear lightly after bloom to keep the trailing mat dense and shapely; avoid cutting into bare old wood, which regenerates poorly, and harvest sprigs as needed.
Needs little feeding; a single light spring application keeps foliage a healthy green in poor soils.
Generally pest-free but susceptible to root rot in wet clay; occasional spittlebugs are harmless.
Small pale blue to butter-tinted flowers appear off and on from winter into spring; evergreen and aromatic year-round with good frost tolerance.
Soil, Feeding & Propagation
Prefers well-drained, gritty, alkaline soils; thrives in poor rocky ground and rots in wet clay.
Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.
Low feeder.
Semi-hardwood cuttings root easily; also layers where trailing stems touch soil.
2-3 ft on center to spill over walls and edges
Non-invasive woody roots; avoid lawn overspray, which rots the crown.
Placement Tips
- •Space 2-3 ft apart to spill over walls, raised beds, and container edges.
- •Site near kitchen doors and paths so the aromatic culinary foliage is within easy reach.
- •Excellent cascading down slopes and retaining walls in Mediterranean and edible designs.
- •Give full sun and sharp drainage; avoid lawn overspray that rots the crown.
Features
Best Uses
Ecological Value
Attracts
Wildlife Value
Companion Plants
Quick Stats
Design Styles
Include in Your Project
Love Trailing Rosemary? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.
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Use this care guide to maintain your Trailing Rosemary. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.
Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.