Does Rosemary Grow In Shade (And How To Care For It)

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs so of course it was also the first perennial herb I started growing in my herb garden. Not only does it look and smell amazing, but it’s also a herb that can be added to many of my favorite food types (soups and stews) and is very winter hardy too! But not all gardens have a sunny area that rosemary plants love.

You’ll be pleased to know that Rosemary is a shade tolerant herb and so can grow in partial shade, though it will not do well in full shade. My large rosemary pictured further down has done very well in partial shade for two years now.

If you love growing herbs, and want to grow rosemary, read on – I’ll also be covering how to care for your rosemary plant, whether in the garden, in a pot or indoors!

Where Does Rosemary Come From?

Rosemary is a shrub loved for its fragrant and narrow needle-like evergreen leaves. It also has multi-colored flowers in pink, blue, or purple shades.

Rosemary originates from the Mediterranean, specifically along the coastlines of this region. Rosemary plants are classified as frost-hardy, but they can also adapt to warmer climates as long as they are placed in well-draining soil.

Rosemary is derived from the Latin word “rosmarinus,” which means “dew of the sea.” This plant has been quite a prominent fixture in the history of Greeks and Romans and is a signature headwear by Greek scholars and philosophers as they believe it helps improve memory. Shakespeare is also quite fond of rosemary plants, as he has referenced them multiple times in his poems and plays.

Apart from some superstitious beliefs associated with rosemary plants, it is also a widely used herb and spice in the culinary arts. The fragrant leaves of rosemary also made it a popular incense during special ceremonies in various cultures. The rosemary plant has also been used as a medicinal herb throughout history.

What Are The Best Growing Conditions For Rosemary Plants?

Since rosemary is known to be quite hardy and can thrive in Zones 7 to 10, it does prefer full sunlight. However, rosemary plants are also known to flourish in Zone 6 regions. Ideally, it would be best if you planted rosemary under full sunlight and in well-draining soil with a pH level of 6 or 7.

In order for rosemary to bloom to its full potential, it will need sun exposure for about 6 to 8 hours daily. Since this fragrant shrub came from the Mediterranean, its preferred average temperature falls between 20 to 30°C (68-86°F), which means spring or early summer would be the best time to plant rosemary in your garden.

The good news is that this plant’s high tolerance to cold means it can survive lower temperatures as well, albeit with a bit of help.

When it comes to the soil, you’ll get the best results from growing rosemary with fertile sandy to slightly clay loam type of soil. As stated earlier, you should also ensure the ground has good drainage. I actually grow my rosemary in pots, so that they can be moved around if needed.

Does Rosemary Grow In The Shade? 

While rosemary plants do prefer to soak up the sun, they can still thrive and grow in the shade. However, while rosemary can tolerate being in the shade, it will not survive under full shade, as I noted early on in the article. Rosemary and sunlight go hand in hand and your new rosemary plants really do need sunlight to flourish. As long as it can absorb sunlight at a minimum of 2 to 6 hours per day, that should suffice.

You should also upgrade from well-draining to excellent-draining soil to plant rosemary in the shade and ensure proper air circulation. Improving upon those two aspects should compensate for the decrease in sunlight exposure.

What Are Other Factors That Can Affect The Growth Of Rosemary Plants?

So we know that a lack of sunlight may affect your rosemary in negative ways but are there other factors that will hold your rosemary plants back?

Besides sunlight, there are of course other factors that you should consider, and these are essential, especially for those growing rosemary in the shade or indoors.

Water and Humidity

Rosemary is a tough plant, and it can survive for a decent amount of time with little water. Due to the needle-like leaves, it is pretty tricky to see if the plant is starting to wilt due to lack of water. For those who planted their rosemary in containers, always check the soil’s moisture and only water the plant once the earth is parched.

We need to remember that overwatering rosemary can cause it to develop root rot, which we do not want!

You should also be aware that high-humidity locations with poor air circulation significantly increase the risk of the plant getting fungal diseases.

Finally, be sure to reduce watering during winter months since the soil tends to dry slower when the temperature drops.

Fertilizing

In general, your rosemary can skip fertilizers entirely as it is a hardy plant. However, in instances where withering is becoming visible, feel free to give the plant a bit of help.

Don’t go overboard though, as a light organic mulch and balanced liquid feed will be able to solve the yellowing problem in most cases.

The added benefit of mixing it with some organic mulch is also added frost protection during winter. You must consider this if you are in Zone 6 areas, as you will most likely need to bring your rosemary plants indoors once winter begins. I’m in zone 7-8 and was able to leave my rosemary in the garden in its terracotta pot over winter with no issues.

Pruning

Pruning is another important facet of growing rosemary. This will help to keep it looking neat and encourage fresh leaves to grow if you plan on harvesting.

The best time to prune rosemary is after the flowers start to fade, which is sometime in late spring to early autumn – if yours flowers, mine hasn’t yet. Just remember to trim and not cut too much into the main stem.

What Are The Best Three Companion Plants For Rosemary?

When it comes to companion planting, the best companion plant for rosemary is lavender, another plant that likes warmer temperatures and comes from the mediterranean. I also grow marigolds near my rosemary each year – mostly because this is what I was told to do by my grandad. The final one I like to grow for my rosemary is thyme. I actually have it very close to my rosemary, also in a pot.

Can You Propagate Rosemary?

Yes! Or so I’m told! It is much easier to grow rosemary from a cutting than it is to grow rosemary from seed – but I’ve not yet tried it! I’ll put it to the test this spring so we can find out together.

Generally, I grow my rosemary from seeds – so I must be doing something right if it’s harder that way right?

How To Care For Rosemary Plants

Let us finally take a look at the best ways to care for your rosemary plants whether in a garden or in a container.

Growing Rosemary In the garden

The garden is a perfect location to plant rosemary and will make the entire process relatively easy as long as it gets enough sunlight daily. Keep the rosemary in a spot that gets the most exposure from sunlight – you can;t beat direct sunlight if you have it! – and ensure that the soil has good drainage and you’re ready to go. You can add some fertilizer, but in most cases, this is optional.

Also, if you are planting rosemary in your garden, pop each plant with at least 2 to 3 feet of distance in between. Raised beds are ideal for growing rosemary rather than putting them directly on the ground, as the soil is generally looser and provides more air circulation, but they will survive if you need to put them directly in the ground in good sunlight.

I prefer planting rosemary along pathways to appreciate its fragrant leaves fully. I mean, why place an aromatic plant away from foot traffic? You are preventing yourself from enjoying one of its best qualities!

Another important guideline when growing rosemary is when transplanting seedlings to your garden. Refrain from doing so during winter and wait until the last frost date has come and gone. While tolerant to cold, exposure to hard frost will inevitably damage rosemary and even cause it to wither and die. Yes, ask me how I know this!

If you are in a Zone 6 region, I advise placing a row cover on your rosemary once the air gets too chilly for comfort.

Growing Rosemary In A Container

Planting rosemary in the garden is a hands-free process depending on which zone you are in, but that doesn’t mean that growing rosemary in a container will be more challenging. As I have experienced, a rosemary plant is also relatively easy to grow in pots – or even indoors!

Ideally, you want to have a heavy pot that is 12 inches deep – this is ideal for growing and cultivating rosemary plants.

While you can pick any container, I recommend terracotta pots as they can regulate temperatures better and prevent the soil from getting too hot.

As for the contents of the container, a mixture of potting mix and sand should provide the rosemary with enough nutrients while keeping the soil well-drained. Therefore, the recommended ratio would be 70% potting mix and 30% sand. I also add broken terracotta pieces to the bottom of my pot to help drain the water away, and it’s worked well so far.

Growing Rosemary Indoors

Since you will be growing rosemary in containers, you may end up moving it indoors. In this instance, if you want the rosemary to thrive, you must keep indoor conditions up to standard too.

Remember that temperatures in the rosemary area should stay within 20 to 30°C. Indoor air also tends to be drier, so humidity will also be something you need to check occasionally. A simple tip I can give you to improve humidity is to either place a humidifier nearby or bunch rosemary together with other indoor plants.

Of course, too much of anything can be harmful, which also applies to humidity. For example, if you notice powdery mildew on the rosemary leaves, that is a sign that the humidity is too high. To prevent such issues, a well-ventilated room where the rosemary is located should help with the air circulation and humidity issues.

I cannot wait for the warmer temperatures to hit where I am in the world, so that my rosemary plant can start thriving again. But I’ll also be setting some seeds again, and trying to get another one growing – one can never have too many rosemary plants in the garden right?