Herb garden and kitchen · Salvia rosmarinus
Rosemary: look, smell and learn
A little fir in the herb bed? Puschel wonders while Flauschi shows him rosemary leaves.
The short answer
Rosemary's narrow needle-like leaves belong to a kitchen herb. They are green above and paler beneath. Rosemary likes sun and well-drained soil. Winter protection depends on variety and weather.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel tilts his head. Puschel“A tiny fir tree?” Flauschi shows him the branch. Flauschi“Rosemary has needlelike leaves, but it is not a fir.”
Flauschi draws his attention to the paler leaf undersides. Puschel looks without breaking off a twig. Puschel“A shrub in a needle costume,” he says. That is his funny nickname; the real clue is narrow leaves, green above and paler below.
What it looks like
Narrow, needlelike leaves, green above and paler beneath.
Scent and cooking
Resinous and aromatic; a few leaves suit roasted potatoes.
How it grows
Sun and well-drained soil; winter protection may be needed depending on variety and weather.
Little Wusel quiz
Which two clues describe a rosemary leaf?
Show answer
It is narrow and needlelike; its upper side is green and its underside paler.
Word help
- well-drained
- Soil that lets excess water flow away rather than stay waterlogged.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Are the narrow parts needles or leaves?
Rosemary’s narrow green parts are leaves. Their edges roll downwards and the undersides often appear paler. Rosemary is a woody shrub, not a tiny fir tree. Narrow leaves alone therefore do not make a plant a conifer.
Compare and understand
Rosemary grows well in a bright position with well-drained soil. A pot without drainage may be wet at the bottom even if its surface looks dry. Adults check the soil and pot rather than automatically watering the same amount daily. Fresh and dried kitchen leaves can look different while being the same plant part.