SafePlants

False Rosemary and Cumberland False Rosemary

This page provides information about two closely related plants known as False Rosemary: Conradina canescens and Conradina verticillata.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

• Scientific Name:
  • Conradina canescens A. Gray (False Rosemary)
  • Conradina verticillata Jennison (Cumberland False Rosemary)
• Common Names: False Rosemary, Cumberland Rosemary, Cumberland False Rosemary, Minty Rosemary, Apalachicola Rosemary, Short Leaf Rosemary, Wild Rosemary
• Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family), formerly Labiatae
• Rank: Species
• Nomencl. ref. (for Conradina verticillata): J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. xlviii. 268 (1933).

Distribution and Habitat

• Conradina verticillata, or Cumberland False Rosemary, is native to the southeastern United States.
• It is specifically found on the Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky and Tennessee.
• This plant grows on gravelly river banks and open, scrubby areas.
• Cumberland Rosemary is a very rare plant known only from several counties in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Morphology and Growth Habits

• Conradina verticillata is a shrub.
• It has narrow evergreen foliage with a rosemary fragrance when lightly brushed.
• It produces lavender-pink flowers. Some rare selections have white flowers ('Snow Flake' variety).

Ecological Role

• Adapted to dunes and open, scrubby areas
• Conradina verticillata is increasingly threatened in the wild.

Quirky Facts

• The 'Snow Flake' variety of Conradina verticillata is a rare white-flowered selection.
• The foliage has a rosemary fragrance when brushed.

Additional Information

• Discover Life offers a page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Conradina verticillata.
• Plant Delights Nursery, Inc. is a source for purchasing Cumberland Rosemary.