The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of rosemary that is grown as an ornamental for containers or landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Rosmarinus officinalis and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’.
‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ was selected by the inventor in Beaulieu, Hants, United Kingdom in 2003 for its improved habit for ease of shipping. The new cultivar ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ is a result of open pollination among a number of unnamed plants of Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus Group. The seed parent is a plant of Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus Group. The pollen parent is unknown.
‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ is a dwarf perennial ground cover characterized by a compact habit, mid-green foliage, and violet-blue flowers. As an immature, first year plant, the stems of ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ are faintly tinged with red. As the plant ages and becomes mature, the stems become woody and gray-brown in color.
‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ differs from its shorter female parent Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus Group in that ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ is more upright in habit. Two close comparison plants known to the inventor are Rosmarinus ‘Rampant Boule’ (unpatented) and Rosmarinus ‘Pointe du Raz’ (unpatented). ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ differs from ‘Rampant Boule’ in that ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ has a tidier habit; and from ‘Pointe du Raz’ in that ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ is smaller in habit, and with darker flowers.
The first asexual reproduction of ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ was conducted by the inventor in a cultivated area of Beaulieu, Hants, United Kingdom in 2003. The method used for asexual propagation was vegetative cuttings. Since that time the distinguishing characteristics of ‘ROMAN BEAUTY’ have been determined stable and have reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.