Rosemary in Zone 11a & 11b

Salvia rosmarinus

When to plant rosemary in zone 11b

Zones 11a and 11b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Rosemary needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 2-4 ft.

Rosemary is a woody Mediterranean shrub, not a tender annual herb. Treat it more like a small perennial landscape plant than something you replant every spring. In the right climate, one plant can keep producing for years.

How rosemary fits zone 11's season

Zone 11b is frost-free in this dataset, so frost is not what limits the calendar here. What you can plant, and when, comes down to summer heat and daylength instead.

Good companions

• Cabbage: Rosemary's scent is reputed to deter cabbage moths, the same role thyme and sage play, though rosemary itself hasn't been specifically tested the way thyme and sage have — treat this as garden tradition rather than a directly measured result. (usually zones 2-10, so not a pairing for zone 11b)

Where to buy rosemary seeds

• Botanical Interests
• True Leaf Market
• Burpee
• High Mowing Organic Seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing rosemary" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 11b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Rosemary in USDA zone 11b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.

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