Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County

Client's Request:  Would you please help me to identify a plant which is a bush when fully grown, and blooms in small light-blue color flowers in fall and winter.  I took a photo of a small young plant, but the color of the flowers didn't come out as light-blue. I saw these plants in the areas where no one waters them, and I think they are native to California. If you can tell what plant it is, do you also know if these flowers can feed honey bees, and do the bees like them? Thank you in advance.

Help Desk Response:  Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk.

You sent a photo of a plant for us to identify. It is rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). While it's not native to California (it originated in the Mediterranean area), it is very well adapted to California's similar Mediterranean climate. Its flowers range in color from various shades of blue to even pink and white. Its growth habit ranges from stiff and erect, rounded, or low and creeping, depending on variety or cultivar.

This plant is also the rosemary used for seasoning food, however some varieties taste better than others. Bees are attracted to the flowers and make excellent honey when feeding on them.

Good drainage and full sun are essential for a healthy rosemary plant. The links following will take you to more information about growing rosemary: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/rosemary.html and http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Rosemary/.

Happy gardening!

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SEH)

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Note:  UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions.  Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog.