Other Names: Hill's Hardy Rosemary, Madalene Hill Rosemary, Madeline Hill Cold Hardy Rosemary
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-11 Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Perennial Shrub
Height at Maturity: 2.5-3' in ground
Width at Maturity: 2-2.5'
Spacing: 2' for solid hedges, 5' for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Upright
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Flower Color: Soft Blue
Flower Size: Small
Flowering Period: Late Winter to Mid Spring
Flower Type: Single
Fragrant Flowers: No
Foliage Color: Greyish Blue-Green
Fragrant Foliage: Yes!
Berries: No
Berry Color: No
Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun
Water Needs: Average, low when established
Soil Type: Clay (Amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sand, Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained to Dry when established
Soil pH: 6.0 - 7.5 (Moderately Acid to Slightly Alkaline)
Maintenance / Care: Low to Average
Attracts: Visual Attention, Sensory Appeal
Resistances: Deer - more info, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Insect, Rabbit
Description
Regarded as one of if not the most cold hardy of Rosemary varieties, surviving temperatures to -10 degrees F in USDA Zone 6, 'Madeline Hill' Rosemary has thick, resinous, grayish blue-green leaves with a a lemony scent and an upright, erect habit to 3 feet tall and around 2 feet wide. It shows off pretty soft blue flowers from January to April. This rosemary is great for cooking. It is widely used in Italian cuisine, chicken, lamb, and fish dishes.
This variety was named in honor of Madalene Hill, an herb aficionado in the 1900's who has had many plants named after her. Madalene Hill Rosemary is sometimes erroneously labeled Hill Hardy Rosemary and is often misspelled as we've done. Not sure when or how the incorrect spelling started, but since more folks spell it wrong than right, we decided to use the incorrect spelling so searchers on Google or our website could find it. Then we'd let them know about the misspelling:-)
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide, Madeline Hill Rosemary is ideal for use as an accent, grouping or hedge in in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. Plant it near patios, decks, porches and other outdoor living areas where the fragrance and the pretty blue flowers can be enjoyed from closer up. A natural choice for herb gardens and a fine addition to coastal areas, fragrance gardens and rock gardens.
Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a, where this Rosemary plant variety is not reliably winter hardy, you'll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.
Growing Preferences
Madeline Hill Rosemary is easy to grow in most any somewhat loose and moist to somewhat dry soil of average fertility and full to mostly sun. Plants will tolerate some shade but foliage won't be as dense. Grows best with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It will tolerate dry periods, but flowers best with a moist but well-drained soil. Can be pruned regularly for shaping or use in cooking, but do avoid cutting it back beyond a point of green foliage.
Helpful Articles
Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, feed and water Rosemary plants in garden beds and containers.
How To Plant & Care For Rosemary Plants
