Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Trailing Rosemary
Trailing Rosemary is a low, spreading form of the kitchen herb that spills over walls and down slopes. Its dark green, needle-like leaves are strongly aromatic and good for cooking. Light blue flowers cover it in winter and early spring, and bees love them. It stays low but spreads wide, and it needs little water once rooted.
Best for: spilling over walls and raised planters, low ground cover, herb and sensory gardens, and winter flowers for bees.
Its trailing stems spill over walls, raised planters and the edges of beds. Plant it at the top edge and let it hang down, since it spreads 4 to 8 feet wide.
The strongly aromatic leaves are used in cooking, so it doubles as an herb near the kitchen door. Snip sprigs as you need them.
Light blue flowers open in winter and early spring and strongly attract bees. Plant it where you can watch the bees from a patio.
It struggles in July through September heat, especially in heavy, poorly drained soil. Root rot follows soggy soil, and hard pruning can kill it.
- Tight groundcover2 ft apart
- Looser groundcover3 ft apart
Water new plants often while they root in. Once rooted, water deeply about once a week, and less if the soil is slow to drain.
Prune lightly from underneath to take out dead wood. Never cut it back hard, because it rarely recovers.
It struggles from July to September. Good drainage and careful watering carry it through.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does trailing rosemary get?
It stays about 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads 4 to 8 feet wide. Give it room to trail, or plant it where it can spill over a wall.
When does trailing rosemary bloom?
Light blue flowers open in winter and early spring, with some blooms at other times. Bees visit the flowers heavily while it blooms.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about once a week. Take care in summer, especially in clay, since soggy soil rots the roots.
How do I prune trailing rosemary?
Prune lightly from underneath to remove dead wood. Never cut it back hard, because it rarely recovers.
Why is my rosemary struggling in summer?
Rosemary grows best in the cool season and struggles from July to September. Keep the soil well drained and water carefully.
Can I cook with trailing rosemary?
Yes, the aromatic leaves are used in cooking just like upright rosemary. Snip sprigs as you need them.
Does it attract bees?
Yes, its winter flowers strongly attract bees. Keep it back a little from doors and seating if bees bother you.
How cold hardy is it?
It is rated to about 15 to 20°F, so it needs no frost cover in a normal Valley winter.
What soil does it need?
It needs well-drained sandy, gravelly or loam soil. It even takes salty soil, but heavy, flat clay is a poor fit, so plant it on a slope or raised bed if your soil is clay.
Is trailing rosemary evergreen?
Yes. It keeps its fine, dark green leaves all year.
Trailing Rosemary for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Trailing Rosemary is a low, spreading rosemary with aromatic leaves and light blue winter flowers. Below are the questions people ask most, from size and water to summer care, pruning, soil and bees.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Trailing rosemary in Phoenix
Trailing rosemary is a low, spreading rosemary for walls, planters and ground cover. Its winter flowers feed bees, and the leaves are good for cooking.
Watering trailing rosemary
Once rooted, water it deeply about once a week. Water carefully in summer and in clay soil, since soggy roots rot.
How to prune trailing rosemary
Prune lightly from underneath to remove dead wood. Avoid hard cutting, because it rarely recovers.
Rosemary in summer heat
Rosemary struggles from July to September in the Valley. Good drainage and careful watering carry it through the heat.
Trailing rosemary over walls
Its stems spill over walls and raised planters, softening the edge. Plant it along the top so it can hang down.
Trailing rosemary for bees
The light blue winter flowers strongly attract bees through winter and early spring.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.