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Best and Worst Companion Plants for Rosemary

Rosemary thrives alongside sun-loving companions like cabbage, beans, carrots, and peppers. It pairs beautifully with Mediterranean herbs like oregano and sage. Avoid pairing rosemary with fennel, basil, or water-loving cucumbers to prevent competition and growth issues.

Rosemary, Planting Rosemary, Companion Planting, Companion Plants, Best Companion Plants, Bad Companion Plants, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia rosmarinus,

Rosemary is a perennial herb or shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, lavender, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae, along with basil, mint, sage, oregano, and thyme.

Rosemary is widely used as a culinary herb and in traditional medicine. It is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens and is prized for its distinctive fragrance and essential oil, widely used in aromatherapy. Discover the key benefits of growing Rosemary in your garden.

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is an organic method of preventing or protecting plants from pests and diseases, attracting the right types of insects for pollination, enhancing nutrient uptake, and increasing crop production simply by growing specific plants near each other. In essence, companion planting helps bring a balanced ecosystem to your landscape, allowing nature to do its job.


Benefits of Companion Planting

Organic Pest Control

Some plants can emit scents that either repel insects, attract them, or confuse insects or disease organisms in search of their favorite host plants. They make insects less likely to land on your garden vegetables.

Rosemary naturally repels cabbage loopers, bean beetles, carrot flies, mosquitoesslugs, and snails.

Attracts Beneficial Insects

Some plants help attract beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, bees, and butterflies, that pollinate and help control harmful bugs. Beneficial insects feed on common garden pests like aphids and caterpillars.

Rosemary flowers are a magnet for pollinators, drawing in bees, honeybees, bumblebees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds.

Provides Necessary Shade

Tall sun-loving plants offer shade to smaller shade-loving plants. This results in better products and can also potentially provide pest control. A good example is The Three Sisters Garden. Practiced by Native Americans thousands of years ago, this garden includes corn, beans, and squash. The tall corn provides shade for the lower squash but also stops the squash vine borer beetle.

Shelters Plants

Some plants can provide windbreaks and prevent soil erosion. Strong winds can damage gardens by removing mulch, topsoil, and eroding beds and hillsides. Rain can also cause severe damage by beating down young seedlings. By carefully selecting the right ground cover, you can help prevent soil erosion.

Provides Natural Support

Some companion plants can physically support each other, reducing the need for staking. The example of planting corn, beans, and squash together applies here again. Corn provides tall stalks for the beans to climb so that they are not out-competed by sprawling squash vines.

Saves Space

Interplanting different crops greatly maximizes space and improves productivity in small gardens.

Enhances Flavors

Some plants can subtly enhance the flavor of other plants. Most herbs have been found to enhance the flavor of fruits and vegetables grown nearby, and basil grown beside tomatoes is an excellent example. Similarly, chamomile has an aromatic scent that is believed to improve the growth and flavor of cabbage, cucumbers, and onions when grown beside them.

Better Soil Quality and Fertility

Some crops help fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and reduce fertilizer needs. Similarly, planting plants with different root structures together can aerate the soil and allow plants to pull nutrients from different parts of the soil. Not only can companion planting help your plants to grow better, but it also makes the vegetable garden more attractive thanks to the addition of colorful flowers that help or hinder nearby vegetables. Companion planting combines beauty and purpose to create an enjoyable, healthy environment.


Best Companion Plants for Rosemary

Brassicas

Examples: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts.

Why: Rosemary’s strong fragrance masks the scent of brassicas, helping to deter cabbage moths and cabbage loopers. This natural protection reduces pest damage and promotes healthier crops.

Beans

Why: Rosemary’s aromatic oils help ward off Mexican bean beetles, protecting beans from leaf damage. They also have compatible growth habits and do not compete for soil nutrients.

Carrots and Parsnips

Why: Rosemary repels carrot flies and other root pests. Its scent confuses harmful insects, leading to stronger, healthier carrots and parsnips and better yields.

Peppers

Why: Rosemary’s strong scent helps repel common pepper pests such as aphids, spider mites, and other insects. Scientific experiments and gardening sources confirm that rosemary significantly reduces aphid numbers and reproduction on pepper plants, thanks to its volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Sage

Why: Sage and rosemary enjoy similar conditions—full sun and well-drained soil—and support each other’s growth. Sage is one of the few herbs that grows harmoniously alongside rosemary.

Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, and Lavender

Why: Lavender, marjoram, oregano, and thyme are Mediterranean herbs that love the same dry, sunny conditions as rosemary. Together, they form a resilient, aromatic herb bed that attracts pollinators and helps conserve soil moisture.

Alliums

Examples: Onions, garlic, and chives.

Why: They mutually enhance pest resistance, do not compete for resources, and thrive under similar growing conditions, making them ideal partners in both herb and vegetable gardens

Strawberries

Why: Rosemary’s pest-repelling scent protects strawberries from slugs and insects. Its deeper roots also help improve soil structure for shallow-rooted strawberries.

Marigolds, Alyssum, Borage, and Zinnia

Why: Marigolds, alyssum, borage, and zinnia bring in beneficial insects and pollinators, while rosemary drives pests away. Together, they create a colorful, balanced garden ecosystem.

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 8 - 12
Climate Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2
Plant Type Herbs, Perennials, Shrubs
Plant Family Lamiaceae
Genus Rosmarinus, Salvia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height 2' - 6' (60cm - 180cm)
Spread 2' - 5' (60cm - 150cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Evergreen
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Salt
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers, Ground Covers, Hedges And Screens
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden
Allium cepa (Onion)
Allium sativum (Garlic)
Allium schoenoprasum (Chives)
Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group (Cauliflower)
Brassica oleracea Capitata Group (Cabbage)
Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group (Brussels Sprouts)
Brassica oleracea Acephala Group (Kale)
Brassica oleracea Italica Group (Broccoli)
Capsicum annuum (Pepper)
Daucus carota subsp. sativus (Carrot)
Origanum majorana (Sweet Marjoram)
Origanum vulgare (Oregano)
Phaseolus vulgaris – Green Beans
Salvia officinalis (Sage)
Thymus vulgaris (Common Thyme)
Borago officinalis (Borage)
Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender)
Lobularia maritima (Sweet Alyssum)
Tagetes (Marigold)
Zinnia elegans (Zinnia)

Worst Companion Plants for Rosemary

While rosemary pairs beautifully with many herbs and vegetables, some plants have very different needs and can actually hinder its growth. Here are the worst companions for rosemary and why they should be avoided:

Basil

Basil thrives in rich, consistently moist soil and requires frequent watering, which contrasts sharply with rosemary’s preference for dry, well-drained soils. Growing them together often leads to one or both plants struggling with inappropriate moisture levels.

Mint

Mint is a vigorous spreader that can quickly overtake a garden bed. It competes aggressively for space, sunlight, and nutrients, and prefers more moisture than rosemary tolerates. Keeping them apart helps prevent mint from overwhelming rosemary’s slower growth.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes demand frequent watering and nutrient-rich soil, the opposite of rosemary’s dry, low-fertility preferences. Planted together, rosemary risks overwatering and root rot, while tomatoes may suffer from poor soil nutrition if rosemary dominates the area.

Cucumbers

Like tomatoes, cucumbers require abundant water and rich, well-fed soil. Rosemary’s low water needs make them a poor match, and competition for moisture can stunt cucumber growth or endanger rosemary with excessive wetness.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins love moist, fertile ground and sprawl aggressively across garden spaces. Their dense vines can smother smaller rosemary plants, and their need for consistent watering increases the risk of fungal diseases like powdery mildew around rosemary.

Fennel

Fennel is allelopathic, meaning it releases chemicals into the soil that can inhibit the growth of nearby plants. It may stunt rosemary’s growth and attracts pests that could further damage delicate rosemary plants.

For the healthiest rosemary plants, stick to companions that share its love of full sun, dry soil, and low-maintenance care.

Cucumis sativus (Cucumber)
Cucurbita pepo – Pumpkin
Mentha spicata (Spearmint)
Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)
Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
Ocimum basilicum (Basil)

More on Gardenia

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 8 - 12
Climate Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2
Plant Type Herbs, Perennials, Shrubs
Plant Family Lamiaceae
Genus Rosmarinus, Salvia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height 2' - 6' (60cm - 180cm)
Spread 2' - 5' (60cm - 150cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Evergreen
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Salt
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers, Ground Covers, Hedges And Screens
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Rosmarinus (Rosemary) Salvia (Sage)

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