12 Best Rosemary Companion Plants

Rosemary surrounded by plants in pots — Photo:
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From kitchen gardens to edible landscapes, rosemary pairs beautifully with a wide range of plants. Many of the same herbs and vegetables that mingle with rosemary in the pot, like peppers and oregano, also work well as garden neighbors. Rosemary companion plants also include ornamental species. With upright and spreading forms available, rosemary can be used in a variety of garden settings, from containers to rock gardens. The soft blue flowers attract pollinators and other beneficial insects while complementing ornamental grasses and perennials.

Rosemary provides several benefits to its neighbors, thanks to its aromatic foliage. The woody evergreen herb is native to the Mediterranean region and grows naturally on rocky hillsides. Established plants stand up to tough growing conditions including blistering sun, wind, heat, and drought. For the greatest success, pair rosemary with companion plants that require the same growing conditions, notably dry, well-draining soils and plenty of sunshine. Here are a few fabulous companions to try.

01 of 12

Tricolor Sage

Botanical Name: Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Dry to Medium, Well-draining, Average Fertility
Soil pH: Acidic to Slightly Alkaline (5.6-7.8)

Rosemary and tricolor sage make a lovely pairing in the herb garden. The broad leaves of tricolor sage complement rosemary’s needle-like foliage, while adding a shifting array of color including gray-green, creamy white, and purple-pink highlights. Plant tricolor sage as a groundcover in front of a larger, upright rosemary variety. The plants have similar growing needs and are both wonderfully fragrant.

02 of 12

Sweet Peppers

Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Medium to Moist, Well-draining, Rich
Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (5.5 to 6.8)

Interest in using rosemary as a companion plant to protect crops from pests has grown in recent years. The volatile chemicals that give rosemary its flavor and scent also affect the behavior of some insects. Interplanting rosemary with sweet peppers has been shown to reduce the populations of damaging pepper pests including thrips, green peach aphid, and whiteflies. Gardeners can take advantage of this pairing to manage these pests in the vegetable garden.

03 of 12

Lavender

Botanical Name: Lavendula spp.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Dry to Medium, Well-draining, Average Fertility
Soil pH: Neutral to Slightly Alkaline (6.7-7.3)

Rosemary and lavender are both native to the Mediterranean hillsides and have similar cultural requirements, making them excellent companions. Both plants need soil that drains well to prevent root diseases. They also look beautiful together. Give this pairing a raised bed filled with loose, sandy or gravelly soil.

04 of 12

Salvia

Botanical Name: Salvia spp.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Medium, Well-draining, Average Fertility
Soil pH: Acidic (5.5-6.5)

Salvia is a large genus of plants that includes culinary sage as well as many species grown for their colorful blooms. Salvias produce gorgeous flower spikes in vibrant purple, blue, red, and pink hues from spring to fall, depending on the variety. They make a beautiful addition to herb plantings and attract an abundance of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden.

05 of 12

Beans

Botanical Name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Medium to Moist, Well-draining, Rich
Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (5.5-7.0)

The aromatic compounds in rosemary are known to deter Mexican bean beetles, a common insect pest of green beans and lima beans. Planting rosemary among your beans can help protect plants from attack. In return, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, making it available to rosemary and other nearby plants.

06 of 12

Oregano

Botanical Name: Origanum vulgare
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Dry to Medium, Well-draining, Average Fertility
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.5-7.0)

Sun-loving oregano is another heat and drought tolerant Mediterranean herb that thrives in sandy or gritty soils. Oregano makes a lovely groundcover in front of rosemary and other herbs. In containers, plant oregano as a spiller along the edges, with an upright rosemary variety as a centerpiece. Both plants produce purple-blue flowers that attract beneficial insects.

07 of 12

Cabbage

Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Moist, Well-draining, Rich
Soil pH: Acidic (5.8-6.8)

Cabbage is another crop that benefits from the aromatic compounds emitted by rosemary, which are believed to repel cabbage looper moths. This insect's name refers to the small green caterpillars that chew holes in the foliage of cabbage and related crops like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. All of these crops can benefit from planting rosemary nearby.

08 of 12

Wormwood

Botanical Name: Artemisia spp.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Dry to Medium, Well-draining, Average Fertility
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Alkaline (6.5-8.0)

Wormwood beautifully accents rosemary’s spiky foliage and purple-blue flowers with its lush texture and silver hue. Among garden favorites is the variety 'Powis Castle' which produces large mounds of finely textured, aromatic foliage. Like rosemary, artemisia is pone to root rots and benefit form well-draining soil.

09 of 12

Thyme

Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Dry to Medium, Well-draining, Low to Average Fertility
Soil pH: Acidic (5.8-6.8)

Growing under the same conditions as its fellow Mediterranean herbs, thyme is commonly grown as a groundcover in kitchen gardens, though it can also be woven into garden beds. It makes an excellent container planting and is also a good addition to pollinator gardens, as the spring blooms attract bees and butterflies. Cut thyme back in early spring and again in summer, or anytime it grows leggy, to prevent plants from developing woody growth. Thyme is evergreen in areas with mild winters.

10 of 12

Onion

Botanical Name: Allium spp.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Dry to Medium, Well-draining, Average Fertility
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.0)

Whether you prefer to grow edible varieties or showy ornamentals, onions make a great addition to the herb garden. Anecdotal evidence suggests rosemary and other herbs improve the flavor of onions. And both onions and rosemary produce aromatic compounds that deter pests. Ornamental varieties add a playful pop of color and contrasting structure to herb garden, which is reason enough to plant them.

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Carrots

Botanical Name: Daucus carota subsp. sativus
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Medium, Well-draining, Rich
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.0)

Rosemary is thought to ward off carrot flies, a common pest of carrots. The larvae of carrot flies, called maggots, feed on the roots of carrots and closely related plants. Plant rosemary between rows of carrots in a sandy, well-draining soil.

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Dianella

Botanical Name: Dianella spp.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Type: Dry to Medium, Well-draining, Average Fertility
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Slightly Alkaline (6.1-7.8)

Accent the fine foliage of rosemary by planting it alongside plants with bold, upright leaf blades like that of flax lily or dianella. This low-maintenance plant comes in variegated forms and cool blue shades like Clarity Blue™. Unlike many other colorful foliage plants, dianella thrives under the same growing conditions as rosemary and other herbs. It tolerates heat and drought, and even produces sprays of periwinkle blooms flowers in spring.

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