Rosmarinus officinalis Albiflorus

The Rosmarinus officinalis 'Albiflorus' has a bushy and erect habit, and produces the pure white blooms of the official rosemary. More abundantly in autumn, and sometimes again in spring depending on the climate, it offers highly melliferous, fragrant blooms. Its particularly aromatic evergreen foliage covers an erect and little ramified framework, giving this bush a refined look. Of Mediterranean origin, it is a little sensitive to frosts, but is neither averse to heat, nor summer drought, nor even rocky and poor soil.

The official Rosemary, called Rosmarinus officinalis, is a small bush native to the Mediterranean basin and belonging to the Lamiaceae family. In addition to its many culinary or therapeutic properties, this plant was long ascribed the power to purify the air and drive away evil spirits. Around the Mediterranean, it was burned like incense. It has differentiated from region to region and according to its natural environment, revealing variable characteristics of hardiness, habit, and flowering.

The 'Albiflorus' form, as its name suggests, forms entirely white small  flowers. This variety forms a little ramified bush about 1 m (3 ft 4 in) high, and 80 cm (31.5 in) wide. Its growth is quite slow in poor and dry soil, much faster in rich and cooler soil, and under these conditions its life will be shorter and its habit less bushy. more northern regions, it prefers to flower in spring, usually in March-April. In southern regions, it can sometimes be in flower from November onwards, even all winter, in successive waves. Its flowering sometimes increases again in March, depending on climatic conditions. It is actually induced by the return of rain after a period of intense drought. 'Albiflorus' carries very small flowers that are gathered in spiky clusters along the young branches. The evergreen foliage is formed of small, green, narrow leaves with a cottony and whitish underside. They have the peculiarity of being curled up on themselves, which gives them a linear aspect. This characteristic is an adaptation to drought. The 'Albiflorus' variety will resist frosts down to -12°C/-15°C (5 °F) in well-drained soil.

Bushy and flexible, white, light blue, ultramarine blue, violet or soft pink, the official Rosemary and its numerous varieties are a interesting alternative to create a bushy hedge in a dry, rocky or sandy garden. They can be combined with roses, lavenders, coronillas, cistuses and bushy potentillas to embellish somewhat arid and scorching areas. Rosemary is an excellent provider of nectar for bees at a time of year when flowers are rare.