Rosemary – Traditional uses in folk medicine

Traditional uses in folk medicine:

• Cultivated mainly in gardens; less traditional than mint or chamomile but increasingly popular.
• Used for improving memory and concentration (inhalation of essential oil).
• Applied externally in alcohol-based solutions for muscle pain and poor circulation.
• In Romanian cuisine, used especially in roasted meat dishes.

Unusual,  traditional folk uses:

• In folklore, rosemary symbolized memory, remembrance and fidelity, used in weddings and funerals
• Hair was rinsed with rosemary infusion to reduce hair loss
• Placed under pillows for dream divination about a future partner
• According to an old legend, the Virgin Mary placed her blue cloak over a rosemary bush with white flowers. As a result, the flowers of the plant turned blue. From this story, rosemary came to symbolize the protection of Mary, as well as purity and fidelity.