Q: I have just received a bog rosemary, Andromeda polifolia from my mother. Is this a herb or is it a shrub that is not to be used for cooking?

A: Your plant is so-named because it looks like rosemary, not because it is rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis. Since bog rosemary prefers the cool soil and boggy conditions of New York and Maine, I doubt it will prosper here.

Further, though bog rosemary has been used as a medicinal herb, I think you’d better keep it out of your kitchen.

MORE INFORMATION:

Bog Rosemary