Rosy Rosemary Seeds
Heirloom, Perennial
Fragrant, woody and evergreen, with the pine-like scent that belongs beside a roast. Plant once, pick for years.
- About 40 seeds, a shrub needs fewer
- Perennial and evergreen
- Selected for high germination
- Heirloom, so you can save seed
For Christmas, order by 16 December, or 18 December in WA. All dates
Native to the Mediterranean and a proper garden staple: fragrant, woody and evergreen, with needle-like leaves and a pine-like scent that belongs beside a roast. "Rosy" is the cultivar selected for a high germination rate and more vigorous, upright growth, which matters because rosemary from seed is a slow business. Roughly 40 seeds in a packet.
Key Features
- Approximately 40 seeds per packet. A shrub needs fewer.
- Heirloom variety. So you can save seed from mature plants.
- Selected for a high germination rate. And vigorous, upright growth.
- Perennial and evergreen. Plant once, pick for years.
- Needle-like leaves and pale blue flowers. Distinctly rosemary.
Pūrē Standard
- The cultivar choice is the point. Rosemary is notoriously slow and unreliable from seed. "Rosy" was selected specifically for germination rate and upright vigour, which is a more useful thing to breed for than another shade of flower.
- It is a shrub, and a long-lived one. Give it 50cm and it becomes permanent structure in the bed. A well-sited rosemary will outlast most of the garden around it.
- The right herb for a dry climate. Mediterranean, drought tolerant once established, and far more likely to be killed by kindness than by neglect.
- Paper packet, nothing else. Close to the smallest packaging footprint of anything we sell.
- Be realistic about the wait. Six to twelve weeks to germinate, even soaked overnight. This is a packet for someone prepared to leave a tray alone for two months, not a quick win.
- Where we would like more. Little Veggie Patch Co do not state whether their seed is chemically treated. They describe their garlic as grown on a chemical-free farm but make no equivalent statement for seed, and they publish no germination rate or packing date.
Overall score:
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Low-Tox & Material Safety | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) |
| Sustainability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5) |
| Manufacturing Transparency | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3.5/5) |
| Packaging | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5) |
How to Use
- Soak the seeds overnight. In water, before planting. Do not skip this.
- Several seeds per hole. Keep them moist, not wet, until they germinate. It can take 6 to 12 weeks, so be patient.
- Spacing and depth. 50cm apart, 0 to 1cm deep.
- Position. Full sun.
- Soil. Free draining with plenty of compost. In pots, use a good quality potting mix. As Little Veggie Patch Co put it, quality is typically correlated to price.
- Once established, water sparingly. Rosemary dies of wet feet far more often than of thirst.
When to Plant
- Zone 1, cool. September to April.
- Zone 2, temperate. September to May.
- Zone 3, subtropical. Anytime.
- Zone 4, tropical. Anytime.
- Perth and the south-west are Zone 2. So September to May. Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and most of the southern half of the country are Zone 2 as well.
Product Details
- Variety. Rosmarinus officinalis, "Rosy", heirloom.
- Seed count. Approximately 40 per packet.
- Companion plants. Beans, cabbage, carrots and sage.
- Packaging. Plain paper seed packet.
- Sourcing. Little Veggie Patch Co source their seed locally and in small batches.
- Interstate customers. Some states restrict the entry of seed and plant material. Check your own state's plant biosecurity rules if you are unsure.
Choose options
For Christmas, order by 16 December, or 18 December in WA. All dates
Our Take
Hardy, aromatic rosemary that will happily outlive your enthusiasm for gardening. Rosy is the cultivar bred for germination and upright vigour, which rosemary from seed badly needs. Slow to start, then perennial: plant once, harvest for years.
Pūrēly Organic
Good to know
Frequently asked
When should I sow rosemary in Perth?
Perth and the south-west are in Little Veggie Patch Co's Zone 2, temperate, so September to May. Zone 1 (cool) is September to April, and Zones 3 and 4 (subtropical and tropical) can sow anytime.
How long does rosemary take to germinate?
Six to twelve weeks, even after soaking. Rosemary is genuinely slow from seed, so give the tray two months before you decide anything has gone wrong.
How do I sow it?
Soak the seeds in water overnight first, then plant several per hole at 0 to 1cm deep and keep them moist, not wet, until they germinate. Space 50cm apart in full sun, in free-draining soil with plenty of compost.
Why the 'Rosy' variety?
Rosemary is notoriously unreliable from seed. Rosy is the cultivar selected for a high germination rate and more vigorous, upright growth, which is exactly what you want when you are waiting three months.
How many seeds are in a packet?
Approximately 40.
How much water does it need?
Very little once established. Rosemary is Mediterranean and resents wet feet far more than drought, which makes it one of the easier things to keep alive through a hot dry summer.
What grows well nearby?
Little Veggie Patch Co recommend beans, cabbage, carrots and sage.
