How to Grow Rosemary

Start from a cutting, not seed

Rosemary can be grown from seed, but it is slow and fussy that way. Illinois Extension notes it is best propagated from stem cuttings, which root easily and grow into suitable plants quickly. That is also how you clone a variety you like or make free plants from one you own.

Take 4- to 6-inch tip cuttings from healthy, flower-free shoots, strip the lower leaves, and set them in a gritty rooting medium such as perlite (a dip in rooting hormone speeds things along). Keep the medium lightly moist until roots form, then pot up.

For a deeper walk-through of the cutting technique, the general herb/perennial cutting method is similar to the linked lavender-cuttings guide — both are woody Mediterranean subshrubs that root from semi-ripe stem tips.

Sharp drainage above all

Rosemary's number-one requirement is drainage. It wants full sun and soil that drains fast; in the garden that means soil amended with compost but never soggy, and in pots a mix cut with extra perlite for better drainage. Heavy, wet soil rots the roots.

Water only when the top of the soil has dried, and err toward too dry rather than too wet, especially in a container. This is the opposite of how you treat thirsty annuals, and it trips up gardeners who kill rosemary with kindness.

The drainage requirement is a big reason rosemary is so often grown in a pot: a container is easy to keep gritty and fast-draining, and it can move indoors for winter. See the rosemary spacing and 'how to harvest rosemary' pages for point details.

Tender vs hardy: getting it through winter

Whether rosemary lives outdoors year-round comes down to your zone. Wisconsin Horticulture notes it is winter-hardy only to about zone 8a and is generally grown as a potted plant in cold climates; Illinois Extension adds that in the Midwest it often does not overwinter and is best treated as a tender perennial brought indoors.

A few cultivars are tougher. 'Arp' and 'Hill Hardy' (Madalene Hill) are noted as hardy to about zone 6 with the right site and some protection, so cold-climate growers who want an outdoor try should seek those out.

Since garden-grown rosemary transplants poorly, grow it in a container from the start if you plan to move it. Bring the pot in just before the first frost to a cool, bright, humid spot; indoors, keep it on the dry side to avoid root rot. Full overwintering-indoors detail is in the linked overwintering-rosemary guide.

Sources

Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.

• Illinois Extension — Rosemary (Herbs) — Rosemary can be grown from seed but is best propagated from stem cuttings, which root easily and grow into suitable plants quickly; it requires a full sun location with soil well amended with compost and well-drained; it is not reliably hardy in zone 6 or colder and in the Midwest often does not overwinter, so it is best treated as a tender perennial brought indoors; garden-grown plants do not transplant well, so grow as container plants and bring in before frost; indoors it prefers a cool, sunny, humid location and dry soil to prevent root rot; the 'Arp' variety is one of the more cold-tolerant, to perhaps zone 6.
• Wisconsin Horticulture (UW-Madison Extension) — Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus — Rosemary is winter hardy only to about zone 8a and is generally grown as a potted plant in cold climates; take 4-6 inch tip cuttings from a flower-free shoot, remove lower leaves, and root in a medium such as perlite (rooting hormone can improve rooting); it needs well-drained soil with extra perlite for drainage; a few varieties such as 'Arp' and 'Hills Hardy' are noted hardy to about zone 6; overwinter indoors in a cool, sunny location with high humidity.

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