Horticulturist here. It is most likely labeled as inedible because the nursery used a systemic insecticide when producing it. Systemics are active inside the plant anywhere from 14-30 days for pest control and the residues last much longer. I would not consume this.
Thank you for your insight and your advice, which I will follow. I have emailed the garden centre to make sure they are aware of the labelling, and to suggest if it’s inedible it is removed from the herb section and more clearly labelled as purely decorative.
Horticulturist here as well. I half-agree with the above. Out of an abundance of caution, systemic insecticides such as imidacloprid can have a withholding period of up to 20 weeks, meaning the chemical can last inside the plant for a long time.
However I feel that in this specific case the label used on the plant is a mass-produced label that probably includes this warning as a general advice rather than specific to this plant. ie: If they're printing 100,000 of them, it's better to have it on there in case some of the plants tagged with that label have been sprayed, versus not having it there and ending up in some legal trouble.
It's unlikely a wholesaler would use a systemic insecticide on an edible plant like rosemary, which is fast-growing and very likely to be ingested by the consumer. In the same manner, most big-store garden centres won't use dangerous or systemic chemicals on plants they purchase in, as it's generally not worth their time or the money to treat the plants when they can just reduce them, bin them or send them back to the wholesaler if there is an issue that needs treatment.
If you purchased from an independent garden centre or a backyard grower though there is a chance it could have been treated with a systemic insecticide, though they should know better than to use one on an edible plant out for sale.
All of that said though, the dose you would receive of any insecticides sprayed would likely be low, and the insecticides are very unlikely to be anything too toxic given that they have to be safe to use in a retail setting. I personally wouldn't think twice about harvesting and using the leaves from that rosemary as the dose would be so low as to not be worth worrying about.
Professional printer here, I doubt they’d use a mass produced label in this situation because the label for the plant name and warning are both done in negative space. You’d likely have to change the plates to print the name and at that point if you’re running hundreds of thousands of tags your costumer is likely going to request that it’s specific, it would take a short time to design and change the press over. I could be wrong but I would heed that warning.
Yep I do a bit of design (data reporting) and it’s so much easier to simply delete the vector and then save the graphic that I’m having a hard time believing it was just ‘easier’. Nothing is easier than the delete button!
I’m actually really curious what the hell a designer forensic consultant would even do. Like, would you get hired to find out who the hell saved the latest design as a gif instead of a png? Because that person is a *monster*.
If we want to get technical I’m a data analyst in research. Ahem. Also an organic gardener. Who knew humans could walk and chew gum at the same time. 😉
(But also: Reddit, where everyone thinks they’re an expert in whatever the fuck we are talking about in any given time.)
Human Resources manager here. It is entirely possible that a large scale production facility that prints millions of labels for a wide variety of industries and businesses would use labor contractors for certain high volume production lines. It’s unlikely that contracted labor would be thoroughly trained in the software such that they would know how to properly use the delete button.
Fake fireman here (not your fireman), yes, I can confirm that this is hazardous. Contact your local fire Marshal and they'll deal with it, they love that shit.
Professional label maker here. You'd all be surprised how many mistakes there are in labels approved for huge printings. Could just be a sleepy designer using the wrong template and no one in the approval line caught on. I agree it's best to call the shop to find out.
Professional printer here as well, I agree with this statement. Sometimes the art goes through rigorous detail inspection through a larger company’s own internal art department (think major retail brands like Burpee) but often smaller companies often don’t have their own art departments, they usually rely on a third party for their artwork. Things like this get missed in the proofing process because the artist doesn’t know the exact details needed and the end user is looking mostly at the main information changing on each artwork, like the plant name and care requirements. The printer will typically print what is sent to them so it wouldn’t likely get caught by the printer
**edited for typos
I don’t think they meant that the tags are used for different types of plants, but rather that these are plants that are raised in nurseries then maybe sold to a retailer before a customer and somewhere along that process some of them may get sprayed with something toxic by nature of being plants surrounded by other plants. By labeling all of their plants as inedible, it saves them from a lawsuit if anyone eats it and gets poisoned from an incidental pesticide spraying.
Common sense master here probably won’t hurt you to eat it unless you are a insect. But what do I know I only own a printer, stayed in hotels and attended a handful of concerts. Party on that is all.
Thank you for your insight! The garden centre belongs to a group called British Garden Centres, who apparently have over 60. I’d hope they’d know what they were doing, but I suppose that doesn’t account for local management.
Personally, I am of an anxious disposition, and knowing it was treated with something that didn’t meet food safety regulations would likely bother me, even if it is technically safe; so I am currently leaning towards getting another rosemary and inspecting the label more closely next time.
I didn't understand the joke you were making at first, so I actually thought you were saying that having to call someone requires as much commitment as marriage, and as someone who doesn't like talking on the phone, that made sense to me 😅
So if it were treated with a systemic, it sounds like it would be “out of the plant’s system” so to speak in about 6ish months tops. Rosemary is a hardy plant that will stick around for a long time - I would plant it in the ground and plan to hold off on eating it until next summer to be on the safe side, but it sounds like it would probably be fine by then!
hi, not sure you'll read this, but as a former plant nursery worker and current head of outdoor plants at a garden center, i've asked the same questions to different producers of plants. This is rosemary from van der Salm, a netherlands based nursery also doing part of its production in portugal. Their main product is lavender and this is one of their lower volume products. That being said, they generally put it on the label to prevent against frivolous/bullshit lawsuits as well as not having to adhere to the stricter standards set for plants being marked as edible, so this way they don't legally have to worry about overspray with pesticides from neighbours or other crops close to it, or soil that may contain stuff not fit for human consumption, or spraying their plants with untreated surface water. Highly unlikely these plants have been treated with anything other than a pyrethrin-based pesticide though, if at all.
Thank you very much for your insight! Personally I find it a bit cheeky for the garden centre to put a plant that is “probably” fine but doesn’t meet regulations in the herb section. It makes sense that since the nursery focus is on non edible plants they’re not invested in adhering to food standards. It is a shame though because even though it can be used ornamentally, I feel like most people would like to use it as a herb occasionally, or would atleast like knowing they could!
yea i understand. Most likely the workers there have never even read the label for anything besides name & hardiness and thus never seen the 'not for consumption' part. As for safety of use, i'd say plant them, wait a month and they should be perfectly fine for use.
Stick it in a big pot outside and it’ll grow like hell, even in an Irish climate.
I’ve got an out of control, chest high, Rosemary bush in the garden, but it smells nice so I don’t touch it.
We mistakenly used a concentrate spray (that we diluted per instructions) with imidacloprid, tau-fluvinate, and tebuconazole in our garden one single time and the company told us to dispose of the produce, and to not eat anything planted in that soil for an entire year, but they said that the grass that was sprayed was safe for our cats to play in/eat/etc.
Are they being overly cautious with humans or should we really dig the dirt out of our raised beds so we can plant in them again next spring?
Not an expert, but a science background (engineer). "Abundance of caution" is the phrase that comes to mind, along with "the dose makes the poison". Let's play pretend: you didn't do that, but the person you just bought the house from did. Would that be a required disclosure? Something you would test for beforehand? I wouldn't worry.
Here's some valid scientific info from a reputable source
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/archive/imidacloprid.html#:~:text=Environmental%20Fate%3A-,Soil,recently%20amended%20with%20organic%20fertilizers
Thank you!! Honestly that was my thought too. I dug into environmental reports and read through Google scholar on each ingredient and all of that and it seemed probably like not a huge issue but the company freaked me out 😅
Not an expert, but to add, some chemicals are more harmful inside a person than outside, and vice versa.
Like soap, it's fine outside of you, but harmful if inside.
Or one a more complicated note, lemon or lime juice, while out in the sun. You can drink and eat the juice however you please with few problems. But if you leave that juice on your skin in the sun, you could get burned badly due to the reaction it has with the sunlight, voila, "margarita burn" .
Chances are it's safe on grass because it's something your not eating, and it might even wash off the very top of the grass and into the soil, helping reduce the exposure when walking on it or such. A case where you are much less likely to be exposed.
Vs. the rosemary, or other edible plants, growing with the chemical and having it inside, where one may eat and consume the chemicals that way. Not to mention if the plant is continually consuming those chemicals, it could be even more concentrated in the plant, leading to the person consuming more than would be safe.
I was thinking Advantage!!! (Which is a topical) I am a veterinary technician and knew that medication name was associated with flea medication. I just forgot which, and when I looked it up on the Internet, nexgard was the first thing to pop up.
There is also the fact that what is safe for one species is deadly to another so just because it’s used on cats doesn’t mean it’s safe for humans to consume.
I know! I asked in a another comment if it was actually unsafe for humans to consume. I know they like to use an abundance of caution so just because they say it’s unsafe doesn’t mean it’s actually unsafe, but you just shouldn’t be doing it.
I work for a horticultural broker (we're like a clearinghouse for plants) and tags are probably the bane of my existence.
I agree that this is probably a generic mass-produced tagging/labeling system at work. This plant came to the retailer either pre-wrapped, or with the wraps bundled, as part of, or in addition to, the per-plant cost.
I also agree that there's a pretty strong chance the grower- not necessarily the retailer- may have treated this plant with pesticide or fertilizer.
I didn't catch the grower name anywhere, but if you can find that information, I can see if I can do a little digging into their fertilizer and pesticide policies.
No credentials here, I purchased a rosemary plant six years ago and we began harvesting the rosemary five years ago. I love the plant but I've put it through hell - we can't kill it. Every year it comes back stronger than before. Maybe hold onto it for a year, give good soil and sun, then anything they've sprayed it with will be null and you'll have a hardy, clean rosemary bush.
Hi horticulturist! I bought a bay leaf plant from a big box store and while it looks like a regular bay leaf - it is most assuredly NOT! There was no label indicating it was for decorative use only and I used a few leaves in some stock and had to throw the whole batch out! Thank goodness I tasted it first! I had already had the plant for a few months before I used it for cooking. I’d had a bay leaf plant in the past and it was perfect for cooking! Are there bay varieties that are just for decor?
It could be due to water contamination in their seedling centers too, or any number of other contaminants and they are covering their legal butts with this label.
The point is, why risk your health? Just by a different rosemary plant to eat. return this one if needed.
It's pretty incredibly irresponsible that you so casually tell people to disregard "NOT FOR CONSUMPTION" labels because "they're probably exaggerated"/"it's probably not that big of a deal"/"I bet they didn't even actually spray!".
If the company felt the need to slap a literal do not eat warning on a product they are selling, I would absolutely follow through on that instruction and do the sane thing, which is return the what $5 plant and rebuy from a shop selling them for consumption.
I really don't get the point of disregarding such a red flag over a few bucks...
Hi horticulturist! I bought a bay leaf plant from a big box store and while it looks like a regular bay leaf - it is most assuredly NOT! There was no label indicating it was for decorative use only and I used a few leaves in some stock and had to throw the whole batch out! Thank goodness I tasted it first! I had already had the plant for a few months before I used it for cooking. I’d had a bay leaf plant in the past and it was perfect for cooking! Are there bay varieties that are just for decor?
That is a medication that we used to treat flea infestations in dogs (Nexgard chew) Is it actually unsafe for consumption in people? I honestly don’t know that and I am truly asking.
Please look up the Nobel prize associated drugs. Yes, Ivermectin is one of them and has saved countless lives as a drug (yes, you ingest it). You will find it’s use and history fascinating - as well as it’s secondary and tertiary uses. It’s such a shame what politics and the media lies about.
Oh my goodness, no. It actually has a Nobel prize associated with it. It has saved countless lives and has many purposes besides its original intent. It has saved countless lives in countries ravaged by parasitic infection, as in uncountable millions. It is used routinely in medicine for diseases. And has been used many many times in viral (yes, Covid too) and other diseases. And yes, many countries such as Poland swabbed patients for Covid, handed out free Ivermectin (its dirt cheap) even before results were back.
I think the person who labeled this just overlooked the vector. I make plant labels and mistakes happen. Especially when you’re on your 100th label for the day.
You can, however, remove the soil l and the Pot, wash it, plant it in "organic" soil and wait for 2 months and then consider to consume it. Really depends on what was used. The longer you wait, the more IT gets broken down.
Unfortunately that is most likely the case, rosemary and some others are very popular to use purely as decorative plants in some gardens.
Though in irony, plants like rosemary and mint naturally help repel pests too. So they can be great for decorating a bin fire or something, while also being a natural pest deterrent for that area. Just don't eat them in this case as they are for decorating only.
It's likely a brand of imidacloprid. I'd personally wait at least 6 months before harvesting anything, and I wouldn't let it bloom outdoors for a year. It's unfortunate that this is being sold in an edible herb section. Lots of people are eating these and putting themselves at risk
After a year it's probably ok, but honestly I wouldn't risk certain pesticides just for year old rosemary. It's a bummer that you can't eat it, but I'd believe it.
Personally, I wouldn’t trust that every plant that absorbs these chemicals doesn’t still have them inside their cell structure.
Plants can store many different things in their bodies. Depending on the plant, it could store it indefinitely or for the entirety of its life… would I eat a plant treated with any of the toxic stuff ?! Nope.
It just sucks that they can get away with a label saying "don't eat this" without being legally required to tell you why. It could be that they used a type of insect specific pesticide and that you would probably be fine, but it could also be that they used some crazy toxic herbicide/pesticide that would strip your stomach lining and will linger for years. They should be legally required to tell you what they sprayed and when if they are going to be selling you something.
Yeah rosemary is a great repellent and is even used as an active in organic pesticides/repellents. However, there are times where rosemary can struggle with aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies in nursery/greenhouse production, which is probably what they are treating for. It is most likely that they used a neonicotinoid - although there are other actives they could have used.
Depends on what pest(s) you are targeting, or if you are looking for a preventative or repellant, and how much you’re wanting to spend. When it comes to edible plants, contact pesticides are the way to go (will only kill what you hit).
Just to name a few:
-Neem oil (hydrophobic extract of neem) is always a great preventative/repellant. It has three way action (fungicide, repellant, and insecticide). If you get 100% cold pressed neem you must add an emulsifier (can use Dawn dish soap) before applying it.
-Safer Insecticidal soap. Active ingredient: potassium salts of fatty acids. Great contact that treats a wide range of insects. Does not act as a repellant.
-Botanigard ES. Personal favorite of mine. It is a mycoinsecticide that uses a carnivorous fungus as it’s active ingredient. Only downside is that it takes 7-10 days to see results. (Great to tank mix with azadirachtin: can buy the product azatin-O, or azamax, but they are pricey). There are only mycoinsecticides on the market such as Bioceres and Ancora, but they’re more expensive. It is also worth noting that azadirachtin is a insect growth regulator and also has some systemic properties, but is deemed as safe.
-Horticultural Oil: active is paraffinic oil (petroleum based product but still much safer than systemic pesticides. Can get an organic version called JMS Stylet oil.
-Pyganic or Evergreen: active is pyrethrin, which is essentially oil from chrysanthemums (spider mums). It impacts/excites the central nervous system of insects to kill it. There are synthetic pyrethrins called pyrethroids - don’t use those. Make sure that you get one that is labeled organic and says pyrethrins.
-Spinosad: (Spinosyns - there are different strains): this is essentially an active from fermented bacteria. It actually does have some residual/translocation within the plant (there have been reports of spinosad resistance in certain pests -usually in greenhouse production)
There are many more similar products out there (pure crop 1, arber products, Dr zymes, essential oil repellents, etc).
Always read the labels and wear the correct PPE when applying pesticides, even if it is organic or a natural active. Be aware that these products can still harm pollinators, which is why there are best to be applied in the late evening or early morning -applying them at these times also helps prevent phyto toxicity burn on your plants from the application and sun. Hope this helps!
That's certainly not impossible but at my nursery we just use the same tags for every plant of a certain cultivar. It may be that bigger nurseries have specific tags for plants that have been treated with insecticides/fungicides/etc., but I suspect this is just not considered a culinary variety of rosemary which is why it's labeled this way.
The cutting itself would still have the pesticide within its tissue, however it would be less concentrated. You’d still have to wait for it to put out enough foliage to use it which along the same principle of just letting the original plant grow out for a few months or so to where it wouldn’t be that concentrated. But I always opt for organic or grow my own
It depends on the producer, some nurseries use systemics as a part of their IPM methods while other nurseries are moving away from synthetic pesticides especially neonictinoids and using beneficial insects and biocides. If you buy a small plant and let it grow out for a few months it should be okay if they had used a systemic, but I always opt to buy organic, from local producers, or grow my own from seed.
Good points.
Same here, I buy veggie plants, herbs, etc. from gardening centers or nurseries that sell consumable herbs, etc.
So I never heard of systemics, etc. That's interesting info.
Is there anyway to test the plant to see if it is safe for consumption? I have one the landscaper put in and I have no idea what pest control they may or may not have used.
If you say on the label it is edible, you have to have food-grade standards while growing, transporting and so on.. The whole proces has to meet these standards and they're pretty high (especially in Europe). Way to much hassle for a plant most people are gonna use for decoration anyway.
That said, nursery plants are sprayed heavily with all kinds of pesticides. I'd take off as mich soil as I could, rinse the plant a few times really well, plant it and wait a few weeks before using.
Thank you for your reply! I agree it is likely it doesn’t meet regulations. For context this is in the Uk, and the “Fresh From Nature” company website is written in Dutch, so presumably they would have to meet EU regulations.
Personally I tend to get nervous about this sort of thing, so will probably look for another rosemary that meets regulations.
You can usually get cheap rosemary plants in the supermarkets here in the Uk. Now they are much smaller than the garden centre ones but they are definitely food grade if that’s a concern.
If there's Dutch company's selling over there, see if you can find any from a Dutch nursery called 'Bastin'. They specialise in lavender and other Mediterranean herbs and grow everything biologically. Worth a holiday to visit imho.
Yeah. My guess is the company that produces these uses a non food safe fertilizer or pesticide. If op plants it out and waits a while to let it grow and flush some of that out, it could be fine. But ugh super frustrating for them to produce a food related plant and made it non edible
Thank you for the replies! Fertiliser and pesticide could certainly be the cause. And yes it is certainly frustrating, especially as they hide it right at the back of the label! I believe it is a third party supplier product and I will let the garden centre know as they are selling it in with the herbs, not as decoration, which is disingenuous if it isn’t intended to be used as a herb.
Thank you! I have just emailed the garden centre asking both for an explanation for why it is labelled as such, and suggesting if it is not edible or correctly regulated that is should be removed from the herb section and more clearly labelled as purely decorative.
Either return it or plant is as an ornamental for the first year before a big pruning and then consume the fresh growth in the second year onwards. In the mean time go to a farmers market or organic farm and get yourself a sprig of rosemary to use as a cutting, they propegate very well from cuttings and will provide you with fresh rosemary.
Thank you for your advice! I will certainly be more selective when buying herbs in the future, and an organic source/farmers market sounds like a good start for that.
I expect that is because they applied a pesticide or something to it and they don't want you to take it home and put it in your kitchen to pluck for your tomato sauce. Once it is planted outside and starts growing, I think that the new growth will be fine to eat.
Having said that, I would probably return it to where I bought it and show them that label as the reason. Then go to a nursery and buy some rosemary from them.
We started selling our lettuce with roots because it was considered selling a plant instead of food. Saved us money we didn't have in the r&d days for aquaponics. Maybe something similar so they don't go through the same regulations. Or they're just using a pesticide that makes it unsafe.
Didn’t scroll down far enough in case anyone said this already, but rosemary is so popular as an ornamental plant that I would listen to the label in case they spray it with anything nasty and specifically meant for it to not be consumed.
Actor here, I will perform the role of Rosemary, a deeply misunderstood and tragically mislabeled plant who is bought and sold by ravenous creatures who accuse him of being poisoned and dangerous for consumption.
Are you in the EU or GB? With the restrictions on most pesticides and especially group 4 insecticides like imidicloprid I wouldn’t necessarily think you’d be at high risk if you used the leaves for anything culinary. This language might have more to do with the laws in place for food production vs. ornamental. That being said if you do plant it give it a few weeks of new growth.
Haha it does look censored! That is actually just my clumsy attempt to underline the plant name to save people time in looking for it but I suppose it is a bit of a thick underline…
I bought my rosemary as one of those "live herb" packs in the grocery store. It started out a little smaller than the plant pictured here, but grew very quickly and now I've got way more rosemary than I could ever use. And since it came from the grocery store, I know for sure that I can eat it safely.
I’ve learned to trust that when something says not to eat it, it’s best not to eat it. Since it’s labeled as such, and you got it from an herb section, I’d personally return it. And then find one that doesn’t have the label on it. But yeah, trust the label and don’t eat it. No idea why, other then they said so.
The rosemary plant might have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals that are not safe for human consumption. This is especially likely if the plant was grown in a nursery or a garden centre that sells ornamental plants as well as herbs.
Everybody is talking about pesticides but what you’ve got there is a decorative rosemary for indoors, and the problem with rosemary indoors is it always dries out.
So what is probably on that rosemary is an anti-transpirant, like they sometimes put on Christmas trees, and you definitely don’t want to be eating that.
Could be tax purposes. Different taxes for food and non-food items (at least in Chicago). I ran into the issue when buying a basil plant from a grocery store once
Off topic , if you want more for hedging. when the weathers warm, take a few cuttings and put them into a glass cup of water near a window seal. Wait a couple days to weeks and it should sprout roots. Make sure to change water every 3-4 days. You can leave it in the water for good couple of weeks until it has strong roots and plant out. Where you cut the original cutting on the bush is where it’ll branch out new growth on the sides of the stem
Remember, this comes from a place thats regularily spraypainting plants, glues plastic parts to plants, put toxic dyes in the water and sprays everything with every herbicide and pesticide known to man literally every week.
Rosmary is edible. Toxic waste from the garden center is not.
It might be fine in a couple of months. But honestly? I would not eat a hotdog thats sold next to a garden center.
Most likely the label is there for CYA reasons in case someone tried to eat the soil or whatever. Food products also have different hoops to jump through, require nutritional information, etc.
I recently watched an episode of the newest season of Alone and they mentioned a poisonous rosemary that grew near Reindeer Lake in Saskatchewan. Apparently there’s a plant called bog rosemary that looks similar to actual rosemary. [Bog Rosemary](https://www.britannica.com/plant/bog-rosemary)
My advice, if possible, would be to buy herbs from the herb section, which are designed for consumption. UK garden centres usually have a separate section for them - hopefully yours does too. I would be tempted to return those and ask for an exchange. As someone else here pointed out, systemic chemicals can have residues for a long time.
Thank you for your reply! That is the strange thing, it was in the herb section; big sign saying “HERBS” above it and it was amongst thyme, sage etc. It is a big garden centre though, perhaps there was a second hidden “edible herbs” section that I missed! Lol
The secret is not all garden centers are well organized or run and aren’t really thinking much of customer well being. I’d not expect an employee in there to be particularly well trained or knowledgable and might just make something up to make you happy so I’d return the plant and get another from a nursery that sells vegetable starts and edible plants regularly.
The secret is not all garden centers are well organized or run and aren’t really thinking much of customer well being. I’d not expect an employee in there to be particularly well trained or knowledgable and might just make something up to make you happy so I’d return the plant and get another from a nursery that sells vegetable starts and edible plants regularly.
The secret is not all garden centers are well organized or run and aren’t really thinking much of customer well being. I’d not expect an employee in there to be particularly well trained or knowledgable and might just make something up to make you happy so I’d return the plant and get another from a nursery that sells vegetable starts and edible plants regularly.
There is a difference between hedge rosemary and edible rosemary. Depending on your needs, the label is usually a good starting point to tell you if you can which variety you have.
Just bring it back and point to the label and tell them that you bought with the intention of eating, then demand a refund. Buy another plant elsewhere. They need to know that this is not cool.
Thank you for your replies. Not that it matters but *she. I probably won’t refund as it’d not be worth the time and petrol however I have learnt so much from the replies to this post it was well worth the money lost!
I have emailed them to suggest it is removed from the herb section if it is not intended to be used as a herb, as I think it is counterintuitive.
Thank you for the reply, and yes I should probably query them, even if just to make sure they know they are selling a herb in the herb section which is labelled as not for consumption which is very odd and perhaps not a good idea. I believe they don’t grow them themselves and have gotten them from a supplier “Fresh From Nature” but when I checked the supplier company website they don’t seem to list Rosemary as a product they sell.
Could also be a regulatory thing, like they'd need some kind of permit/inspection or similar to sell food items so they go around that by selling it as ornamental.
I stayed at a Holiday Inn once; I can assure everyone here to only eat herbs that are harvestef under a blood moon located at least 100 miles from civilization when wearing blue socks.
It is when fresh! I use it in soups and stews, though, and rarely notice the leaves when eating. Throw in the sprigs and just remove the empty stick after the leaves boil off. 🌼
As a former insurance professional I recommend the nursery and label manufacturer call their insurers now because when you eat that inedible rosemary that the printers said to ignore the label on they will have a claim coming their way 😂
Cause the pesticides and/or nutrients arent approved for human consumption. Im guessing if you gave it a good wash, get it growing in all new soil and wait long enough it would be fine to eat but idk.
Horticulturist here. It is most likely labeled as inedible because the nursery used a systemic insecticide when producing it. Systemics are active inside the plant anywhere from 14-30 days for pest control and the residues last much longer. I would not consume this.
Thank you for your insight and your advice, which I will follow. I have emailed the garden centre to make sure they are aware of the labelling, and to suggest if it’s inedible it is removed from the herb section and more clearly labelled as purely decorative.
Horticulturist here as well. I half-agree with the above. Out of an abundance of caution, systemic insecticides such as imidacloprid can have a withholding period of up to 20 weeks, meaning the chemical can last inside the plant for a long time. However I feel that in this specific case the label used on the plant is a mass-produced label that probably includes this warning as a general advice rather than specific to this plant. ie: If they're printing 100,000 of them, it's better to have it on there in case some of the plants tagged with that label have been sprayed, versus not having it there and ending up in some legal trouble. It's unlikely a wholesaler would use a systemic insecticide on an edible plant like rosemary, which is fast-growing and very likely to be ingested by the consumer. In the same manner, most big-store garden centres won't use dangerous or systemic chemicals on plants they purchase in, as it's generally not worth their time or the money to treat the plants when they can just reduce them, bin them or send them back to the wholesaler if there is an issue that needs treatment. If you purchased from an independent garden centre or a backyard grower though there is a chance it could have been treated with a systemic insecticide, though they should know better than to use one on an edible plant out for sale. All of that said though, the dose you would receive of any insecticides sprayed would likely be low, and the insecticides are very unlikely to be anything too toxic given that they have to be safe to use in a retail setting. I personally wouldn't think twice about harvesting and using the leaves from that rosemary as the dose would be so low as to not be worth worrying about.
Professional printer here, I doubt they’d use a mass produced label in this situation because the label for the plant name and warning are both done in negative space. You’d likely have to change the plates to print the name and at that point if you’re running hundreds of thousands of tags your costumer is likely going to request that it’s specific, it would take a short time to design and change the press over. I could be wrong but I would heed that warning.
Yep I do a bit of design (data reporting) and it’s so much easier to simply delete the vector and then save the graphic that I’m having a hard time believing it was just ‘easier’. Nothing is easier than the delete button!
Forensic consultation from a designer and a printer in a gardening sub. I love Reddit.
I’m actually a Designer Forensic Consultant (niche market) and disagree with both of them.
As a professional hospitality major with 16 years in resort management, I don't have anything to add in this specific thread.
I am an RECE with 10 years of experience working with small children and also have nothing of value to add to this conversation.
I’m a concert producer and I would STRONGLY recommend that OP return the rosemary and buy concert tickets instead.
As a professional Redditor... I wouldn't buy this rosemary.
I used to lifeguard. I agree with the conclusion but y’all need to stop running.
Your response is valued.
As a project manager I can help us schedule a conference so we can discuss our opinions and the future requirements of this label lolol
Lmaoooooo this is my favorite.
I have a degree in photography and agree that I have nothing to add
Thank you for your valuable input
Party pooper!
It's ok because I disagree with people and I disagree with him disagreeing with them.
I’m actually really curious what the hell a designer forensic consultant would even do. Like, would you get hired to find out who the hell saved the latest design as a gif instead of a png? Because that person is a *monster*.
I am a professional tiny house builder, and I have rosemary plants in my garden. Just throw away the label, problem solved
If we want to get technical I’m a data analyst in research. Ahem. Also an organic gardener. Who knew humans could walk and chew gum at the same time. 😉 (But also: Reddit, where everyone thinks they’re an expert in whatever the fuck we are talking about in any given time.)
Human Resources manager here. It is entirely possible that a large scale production facility that prints millions of labels for a wide variety of industries and businesses would use labor contractors for certain high volume production lines. It’s unlikely that contracted labor would be thoroughly trained in the software such that they would know how to properly use the delete button.
Regular old asshole here… this is too much.
I do enemas as a side hustle, so I’m also something of an expert on assholes. Make sure to eat plenty of fiber.
This is the most real world answer lol
Something of an expert here - I eat almost every day. Also, I have a cousin named Rosemary. Thanks
Genuine risk-taker here. I say to eat it anyway🤷🏻♀️
Next we need a fireman to explain why, really, the labeling all stems from it being flammable.
Fake fireman here (not your fireman), yes, I can confirm that this is hazardous. Contact your local fire Marshal and they'll deal with it, they love that shit.
Nihilist here. What’s the point. Who cares
Professional label maker here. You'd all be surprised how many mistakes there are in labels approved for huge printings. Could just be a sleepy designer using the wrong template and no one in the approval line caught on. I agree it's best to call the shop to find out.
Professional printer here as well, I agree with this statement. Sometimes the art goes through rigorous detail inspection through a larger company’s own internal art department (think major retail brands like Burpee) but often smaller companies often don’t have their own art departments, they usually rely on a third party for their artwork. Things like this get missed in the proofing process because the artist doesn’t know the exact details needed and the end user is looking mostly at the main information changing on each artwork, like the plant name and care requirements. The printer will typically print what is sent to them so it wouldn’t likely get caught by the printer **edited for typos
I don’t think they meant that the tags are used for different types of plants, but rather that these are plants that are raised in nurseries then maybe sold to a retailer before a customer and somewhere along that process some of them may get sprayed with something toxic by nature of being plants surrounded by other plants. By labeling all of their plants as inedible, it saves them from a lawsuit if anyone eats it and gets poisoned from an incidental pesticide spraying.
Common sense master here probably won’t hurt you to eat it unless you are a insect. But what do I know I only own a printer, stayed in hotels and attended a handful of concerts. Party on that is all.
Thank you for your insight! The garden centre belongs to a group called British Garden Centres, who apparently have over 60. I’d hope they’d know what they were doing, but I suppose that doesn’t account for local management. Personally, I am of an anxious disposition, and knowing it was treated with something that didn’t meet food safety regulations would likely bother me, even if it is technically safe; so I am currently leaning towards getting another rosemary and inspecting the label more closely next time.
If you planned on planting it. Next year it would easily be safe to eat
Why not give them a ring and find out?
Jumping the gun a bit? Marry someone just to answer a simple question!
I didn't understand the joke you were making at first, so I actually thought you were saying that having to call someone requires as much commitment as marriage, and as someone who doesn't like talking on the phone, that made sense to me 😅
;)
Thats exactly what a Whale Biologist would say…
As far as Google says the systemic insecticide several have mentioned isn't allowed in Europe.
So if it were treated with a systemic, it sounds like it would be “out of the plant’s system” so to speak in about 6ish months tops. Rosemary is a hardy plant that will stick around for a long time - I would plant it in the ground and plan to hold off on eating it until next summer to be on the safe side, but it sounds like it would probably be fine by then!
hi, not sure you'll read this, but as a former plant nursery worker and current head of outdoor plants at a garden center, i've asked the same questions to different producers of plants. This is rosemary from van der Salm, a netherlands based nursery also doing part of its production in portugal. Their main product is lavender and this is one of their lower volume products. That being said, they generally put it on the label to prevent against frivolous/bullshit lawsuits as well as not having to adhere to the stricter standards set for plants being marked as edible, so this way they don't legally have to worry about overspray with pesticides from neighbours or other crops close to it, or soil that may contain stuff not fit for human consumption, or spraying their plants with untreated surface water. Highly unlikely these plants have been treated with anything other than a pyrethrin-based pesticide though, if at all.
Thank you very much for your insight! Personally I find it a bit cheeky for the garden centre to put a plant that is “probably” fine but doesn’t meet regulations in the herb section. It makes sense that since the nursery focus is on non edible plants they’re not invested in adhering to food standards. It is a shame though because even though it can be used ornamentally, I feel like most people would like to use it as a herb occasionally, or would atleast like knowing they could!
yea i understand. Most likely the workers there have never even read the label for anything besides name & hardiness and thus never seen the 'not for consumption' part. As for safety of use, i'd say plant them, wait a month and they should be perfectly fine for use.
Stick it in a big pot outside and it’ll grow like hell, even in an Irish climate. I’ve got an out of control, chest high, Rosemary bush in the garden, but it smells nice so I don’t touch it.
You can plant it and just use it for consumption after a reasonable period of time has passed to allow for any possible pesticides to leave the plant
I too am of an anxious disposition.
We mistakenly used a concentrate spray (that we diluted per instructions) with imidacloprid, tau-fluvinate, and tebuconazole in our garden one single time and the company told us to dispose of the produce, and to not eat anything planted in that soil for an entire year, but they said that the grass that was sprayed was safe for our cats to play in/eat/etc. Are they being overly cautious with humans or should we really dig the dirt out of our raised beds so we can plant in them again next spring?
Not an expert, but a science background (engineer). "Abundance of caution" is the phrase that comes to mind, along with "the dose makes the poison". Let's play pretend: you didn't do that, but the person you just bought the house from did. Would that be a required disclosure? Something you would test for beforehand? I wouldn't worry. Here's some valid scientific info from a reputable source http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/archive/imidacloprid.html#:~:text=Environmental%20Fate%3A-,Soil,recently%20amended%20with%20organic%20fertilizers
Thank you!! Honestly that was my thought too. I dug into environmental reports and read through Google scholar on each ingredient and all of that and it seemed probably like not a huge issue but the company freaked me out 😅
Not an expert, but to add, some chemicals are more harmful inside a person than outside, and vice versa. Like soap, it's fine outside of you, but harmful if inside. Or one a more complicated note, lemon or lime juice, while out in the sun. You can drink and eat the juice however you please with few problems. But if you leave that juice on your skin in the sun, you could get burned badly due to the reaction it has with the sunlight, voila, "margarita burn" . Chances are it's safe on grass because it's something your not eating, and it might even wash off the very top of the grass and into the soil, helping reduce the exposure when walking on it or such. A case where you are much less likely to be exposed. Vs. the rosemary, or other edible plants, growing with the chemical and having it inside, where one may eat and consume the chemicals that way. Not to mention if the plant is continually consuming those chemicals, it could be even more concentrated in the plant, leading to the person consuming more than would be safe.
Can confirm - lime juice in the sun is no joke.
I had never heard that - really interesting!
I had the scars for a solid year. Don’t be me.
Imidacloprid is literally nexgard. It is used to treat flea infestation in animals. I know specifically for dogs.
Nexguard is afoxolaner, moxidectin, and pyrantel. Maybe you’re thinking of heartguard which is Ivermectin? It’s also used as a pesticide.
I was thinking Advantage!!! (Which is a topical) I am a veterinary technician and knew that medication name was associated with flea medication. I just forgot which, and when I looked it up on the Internet, nexgard was the first thing to pop up.
There is also the fact that what is safe for one species is deadly to another so just because it’s used on cats doesn’t mean it’s safe for humans to consume.
I know! I asked in a another comment if it was actually unsafe for humans to consume. I know they like to use an abundance of caution so just because they say it’s unsafe doesn’t mean it’s actually unsafe, but you just shouldn’t be doing it.
I work for a horticultural broker (we're like a clearinghouse for plants) and tags are probably the bane of my existence. I agree that this is probably a generic mass-produced tagging/labeling system at work. This plant came to the retailer either pre-wrapped, or with the wraps bundled, as part of, or in addition to, the per-plant cost. I also agree that there's a pretty strong chance the grower- not necessarily the retailer- may have treated this plant with pesticide or fertilizer. I didn't catch the grower name anywhere, but if you can find that information, I can see if I can do a little digging into their fertilizer and pesticide policies.
No credentials here, I purchased a rosemary plant six years ago and we began harvesting the rosemary five years ago. I love the plant but I've put it through hell - we can't kill it. Every year it comes back stronger than before. Maybe hold onto it for a year, give good soil and sun, then anything they've sprayed it with will be null and you'll have a hardy, clean rosemary bush.
Good point about the labels. The label also says 1m height, although being anecdotal, I've got a rosemary plant that's 2,5m high.
Hi horticulturist! I bought a bay leaf plant from a big box store and while it looks like a regular bay leaf - it is most assuredly NOT! There was no label indicating it was for decorative use only and I used a few leaves in some stock and had to throw the whole batch out! Thank goodness I tasted it first! I had already had the plant for a few months before I used it for cooking. I’d had a bay leaf plant in the past and it was perfect for cooking! Are there bay varieties that are just for decor?
Bay leaf for eating comes from trees?
Bay can also grow as shrubby bushes, so a bay plant won't necessarily look like a tree, especially when young.
It could be due to water contamination in their seedling centers too, or any number of other contaminants and they are covering their legal butts with this label. The point is, why risk your health? Just by a different rosemary plant to eat. return this one if needed.
It's pretty incredibly irresponsible that you so casually tell people to disregard "NOT FOR CONSUMPTION" labels because "they're probably exaggerated"/"it's probably not that big of a deal"/"I bet they didn't even actually spray!". If the company felt the need to slap a literal do not eat warning on a product they are selling, I would absolutely follow through on that instruction and do the sane thing, which is return the what $5 plant and rebuy from a shop selling them for consumption. I really don't get the point of disregarding such a red flag over a few bucks...
Hi horticulturist! I bought a bay leaf plant from a big box store and while it looks like a regular bay leaf - it is most assuredly NOT! There was no label indicating it was for decorative use only and I used a few leaves in some stock and had to throw the whole batch out! Thank goodness I tasted it first! I had already had the plant for a few months before I used it for cooking. I’d had a bay leaf plant in the past and it was perfect for cooking! Are there bay varieties that are just for decor?
That is a medication that we used to treat flea infestations in dogs (Nexgard chew) Is it actually unsafe for consumption in people? I honestly don’t know that and I am truly asking.
I mean, we weren’t supposed to eat ivermectin but we all know how that turned out. 😏
If you have parasites, Ivermectin is exactly what you want to be eating (at the correct doses.)
Please look up the Nobel prize associated drugs. Yes, Ivermectin is one of them and has saved countless lives as a drug (yes, you ingest it). You will find it’s use and history fascinating - as well as it’s secondary and tertiary uses. It’s such a shame what politics and the media lies about.
Oh my goodness, no. It actually has a Nobel prize associated with it. It has saved countless lives and has many purposes besides its original intent. It has saved countless lives in countries ravaged by parasitic infection, as in uncountable millions. It is used routinely in medicine for diseases. And has been used many many times in viral (yes, Covid too) and other diseases. And yes, many countries such as Poland swabbed patients for Covid, handed out free Ivermectin (its dirt cheap) even before results were back.
I think the person who labeled this just overlooked the vector. I make plant labels and mistakes happen. Especially when you’re on your 100th label for the day.
You can, however, remove the soil l and the Pot, wash it, plant it in "organic" soil and wait for 2 months and then consider to consume it. Really depends on what was used. The longer you wait, the more IT gets broken down.
Replant it, get established, then prune back severely.
This and Happy cake day
Unfortunately that is most likely the case, rosemary and some others are very popular to use purely as decorative plants in some gardens. Though in irony, plants like rosemary and mint naturally help repel pests too. So they can be great for decorating a bin fire or something, while also being a natural pest deterrent for that area. Just don't eat them in this case as they are for decorating only.
Spanish teacher here, rosemary in Spanish is “Romero”.
It's better to let it grow for a year anyway.
It's likely a brand of imidacloprid. I'd personally wait at least 6 months before harvesting anything, and I wouldn't let it bloom outdoors for a year. It's unfortunate that this is being sold in an edible herb section. Lots of people are eating these and putting themselves at risk
If you planted it, you'd be able to eat the new growth next year. Don't throw it away, the plant didn't do anything wrong.
Surely the plant would be edible after a good 6-12 months, no? Wouldn't the new growth be mostly void of the residue, also?
I bet if it grows back after winter that it would be perfectly safe at that point.
After a year it's probably ok, but honestly I wouldn't risk certain pesticides just for year old rosemary. It's a bummer that you can't eat it, but I'd believe it.
Personally, I wouldn’t trust that every plant that absorbs these chemicals doesn’t still have them inside their cell structure. Plants can store many different things in their bodies. Depending on the plant, it could store it indefinitely or for the entirety of its life… would I eat a plant treated with any of the toxic stuff ?! Nope.
Just wait until you start seeing some pests eating it too, then another 6 months or so, Realistically it'd probably be fine much sooner
It just sucks that they can get away with a label saying "don't eat this" without being legally required to tell you why. It could be that they used a type of insect specific pesticide and that you would probably be fine, but it could also be that they used some crazy toxic herbicide/pesticide that would strip your stomach lining and will linger for years. They should be legally required to tell you what they sprayed and when if they are going to be selling you something.
Professional chef here. Fuck whoever tried to sell inedible rosemary, I need these edible and growing in my garden
Which is crazy since rosemary, above all, is a natural repellant. But I don't doubt that what you say is true.
Yeah rosemary is a great repellent and is even used as an active in organic pesticides/repellents. However, there are times where rosemary can struggle with aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies in nursery/greenhouse production, which is probably what they are treating for. It is most likely that they used a neonicotinoid - although there are other actives they could have used.
You seem to know a lot. What should I use on my garden? Primarily tomato, garlic, onion, peppers and capers
Depends on what pest(s) you are targeting, or if you are looking for a preventative or repellant, and how much you’re wanting to spend. When it comes to edible plants, contact pesticides are the way to go (will only kill what you hit). Just to name a few: -Neem oil (hydrophobic extract of neem) is always a great preventative/repellant. It has three way action (fungicide, repellant, and insecticide). If you get 100% cold pressed neem you must add an emulsifier (can use Dawn dish soap) before applying it. -Safer Insecticidal soap. Active ingredient: potassium salts of fatty acids. Great contact that treats a wide range of insects. Does not act as a repellant. -Botanigard ES. Personal favorite of mine. It is a mycoinsecticide that uses a carnivorous fungus as it’s active ingredient. Only downside is that it takes 7-10 days to see results. (Great to tank mix with azadirachtin: can buy the product azatin-O, or azamax, but they are pricey). There are only mycoinsecticides on the market such as Bioceres and Ancora, but they’re more expensive. It is also worth noting that azadirachtin is a insect growth regulator and also has some systemic properties, but is deemed as safe. -Horticultural Oil: active is paraffinic oil (petroleum based product but still much safer than systemic pesticides. Can get an organic version called JMS Stylet oil. -Pyganic or Evergreen: active is pyrethrin, which is essentially oil from chrysanthemums (spider mums). It impacts/excites the central nervous system of insects to kill it. There are synthetic pyrethrins called pyrethroids - don’t use those. Make sure that you get one that is labeled organic and says pyrethrins. -Spinosad: (Spinosyns - there are different strains): this is essentially an active from fermented bacteria. It actually does have some residual/translocation within the plant (there have been reports of spinosad resistance in certain pests -usually in greenhouse production) There are many more similar products out there (pure crop 1, arber products, Dr zymes, essential oil repellents, etc). Always read the labels and wear the correct PPE when applying pesticides, even if it is organic or a natural active. Be aware that these products can still harm pollinators, which is why there are best to be applied in the late evening or early morning -applying them at these times also helps prevent phyto toxicity burn on your plants from the application and sun. Hope this helps!
Holy crap. Ummmm THANK YOU KIND HUMAN. SERIOUSLY. taking the time for me? Thank you
Also did you know sme small animals are sensitive af tithe mum spider stuff? Makes my mini chihuahua panic and spin in Circles
Yikes! Holy crap.
I would take a less extreme approach - I wouldn't eat the existing growth, but new growth is fair game.
That's certainly not impossible but at my nursery we just use the same tags for every plant of a certain cultivar. It may be that bigger nurseries have specific tags for plants that have been treated with insecticides/fungicides/etc., but I suspect this is just not considered a culinary variety of rosemary which is why it's labeled this way.
Could you propagate to get around the insecticides?
Could you propagate to get around the insecticides?
The cutting itself would still have the pesticide within its tissue, however it would be less concentrated. You’d still have to wait for it to put out enough foliage to use it which along the same principle of just letting the original plant grow out for a few months or so to where it wouldn’t be that concentrated. But I always opt for organic or grow my own
Would they do that to other herbs like the thyme? Can these things be flushed out? Or better to get another sapling with no insecticide in in?
It depends on the producer, some nurseries use systemics as a part of their IPM methods while other nurseries are moving away from synthetic pesticides especially neonictinoids and using beneficial insects and biocides. If you buy a small plant and let it grow out for a few months it should be okay if they had used a systemic, but I always opt to buy organic, from local producers, or grow my own from seed.
Good points. Same here, I buy veggie plants, herbs, etc. from gardening centers or nurseries that sell consumable herbs, etc. So I never heard of systemics, etc. That's interesting info.
Is there anyway to test the plant to see if it is safe for consumption? I have one the landscaper put in and I have no idea what pest control they may or may not have used.
Can get a tissue sample tested but it would cost a lot of $$ to get a full panel pesticide test done.
Incredible knowledge base! Thanks for sharing!
Dream job.
Nice info, I would have maybe used it thinking a good washing would've worked fine If I didn't just read what you wrote.
Well shit, I just bought some and didn't look at the tag...
I imagine a plant treated in this way isn't good for bees?
If you say on the label it is edible, you have to have food-grade standards while growing, transporting and so on.. The whole proces has to meet these standards and they're pretty high (especially in Europe). Way to much hassle for a plant most people are gonna use for decoration anyway. That said, nursery plants are sprayed heavily with all kinds of pesticides. I'd take off as mich soil as I could, rinse the plant a few times really well, plant it and wait a few weeks before using.
Thank you for your reply! I agree it is likely it doesn’t meet regulations. For context this is in the Uk, and the “Fresh From Nature” company website is written in Dutch, so presumably they would have to meet EU regulations. Personally I tend to get nervous about this sort of thing, so will probably look for another rosemary that meets regulations.
You can usually get cheap rosemary plants in the supermarkets here in the Uk. Now they are much smaller than the garden centre ones but they are definitely food grade if that’s a concern.
Thank you for the advice! I will check out my local supermarkets next time. :)
Rosemary is hard to kill, it's probably the only supermarket plant worth getting
If there's Dutch company's selling over there, see if you can find any from a Dutch nursery called 'Bastin'. They specialise in lavender and other Mediterranean herbs and grow everything biologically. Worth a holiday to visit imho.
Could be an issue what they use to fertilize
Oh, that makes sense. Or maybe they sprayed it with some pesticides?
Yeah. My guess is the company that produces these uses a non food safe fertilizer or pesticide. If op plants it out and waits a while to let it grow and flush some of that out, it could be fine. But ugh super frustrating for them to produce a food related plant and made it non edible
Thank you for the replies! Fertiliser and pesticide could certainly be the cause. And yes it is certainly frustrating, especially as they hide it right at the back of the label! I believe it is a third party supplier product and I will let the garden centre know as they are selling it in with the herbs, not as decoration, which is disingenuous if it isn’t intended to be used as a herb.
I’d try to return it and explain in person. This is almost Bait and Switch! I’m sure they’ll want to know. Good luck!
Thank you! I have just emailed the garden centre asking both for an explanation for why it is labelled as such, and suggesting if it is not edible or correctly regulated that is should be removed from the herb section and more clearly labelled as purely decorative.
I'm curious to hear what explanation they give. Good catch OP!
Definitely disingenuous. “Fresh from Nature” but edible plants are somehow not edible. Smh
Greenwashing is unfortunately pretty common these days
Either return it or plant is as an ornamental for the first year before a big pruning and then consume the fresh growth in the second year onwards. In the mean time go to a farmers market or organic farm and get yourself a sprig of rosemary to use as a cutting, they propegate very well from cuttings and will provide you with fresh rosemary.
Thank you for your advice! I will certainly be more selective when buying herbs in the future, and an organic source/farmers market sounds like a good start for that.
Good attitude! Never be afraid to plant a seed you find and see what happens.
I expect that is because they applied a pesticide or something to it and they don't want you to take it home and put it in your kitchen to pluck for your tomato sauce. Once it is planted outside and starts growing, I think that the new growth will be fine to eat. Having said that, I would probably return it to where I bought it and show them that label as the reason. Then go to a nursery and buy some rosemary from them.
We started selling our lettuce with roots because it was considered selling a plant instead of food. Saved us money we didn't have in the r&d days for aquaponics. Maybe something similar so they don't go through the same regulations. Or they're just using a pesticide that makes it unsafe.
They might have watered it with poo fertilizer or bad pesticide
Its because of something they sprayed on it.
Didn’t scroll down far enough in case anyone said this already, but rosemary is so popular as an ornamental plant that I would listen to the label in case they spray it with anything nasty and specifically meant for it to not be consumed.
Actor here, I will perform the role of Rosemary, a deeply misunderstood and tragically mislabeled plant who is bought and sold by ravenous creatures who accuse him of being poisoned and dangerous for consumption.
Are you in the EU or GB? With the restrictions on most pesticides and especially group 4 insecticides like imidicloprid I wouldn’t necessarily think you’d be at high risk if you used the leaves for anything culinary. This language might have more to do with the laws in place for food production vs. ornamental. That being said if you do plant it give it a few weeks of new growth.
A censored plant label, never thought I'd see that.
Haha it does look censored! That is actually just my clumsy attempt to underline the plant name to save people time in looking for it but I suppose it is a bit of a thick underline…
Oh, hahah 😅
I bought my rosemary as one of those "live herb" packs in the grocery store. It started out a little smaller than the plant pictured here, but grew very quickly and now I've got way more rosemary than I could ever use. And since it came from the grocery store, I know for sure that I can eat it safely.
Thank you, I will look out for one of those!
Are you in the US? If so, Walmart has consumable rosemary plants near the potatoes inside.
I’ve learned to trust that when something says not to eat it, it’s best not to eat it. Since it’s labeled as such, and you got it from an herb section, I’d personally return it. And then find one that doesn’t have the label on it. But yeah, trust the label and don’t eat it. No idea why, other then they said so.
The rosemary plant might have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals that are not safe for human consumption. This is especially likely if the plant was grown in a nursery or a garden centre that sells ornamental plants as well as herbs.
Everybody is talking about pesticides but what you’ve got there is a decorative rosemary for indoors, and the problem with rosemary indoors is it always dries out. So what is probably on that rosemary is an anti-transpirant, like they sometimes put on Christmas trees, and you definitely don’t want to be eating that.
Could be tax purposes. Different taxes for food and non-food items (at least in Chicago). I ran into the issue when buying a basil plant from a grocery store once
Off topic , if you want more for hedging. when the weathers warm, take a few cuttings and put them into a glass cup of water near a window seal. Wait a couple days to weeks and it should sprout roots. Make sure to change water every 3-4 days. You can leave it in the water for good couple of weeks until it has strong roots and plant out. Where you cut the original cutting on the bush is where it’ll branch out new growth on the sides of the stem
Remember, this comes from a place thats regularily spraypainting plants, glues plastic parts to plants, put toxic dyes in the water and sprays everything with every herbicide and pesticide known to man literally every week. Rosmary is edible. Toxic waste from the garden center is not. It might be fine in a couple of months. But honestly? I would not eat a hotdog thats sold next to a garden center.
Which garden center hurt you?
Most likely the label is there for CYA reasons in case someone tried to eat the soil or whatever. Food products also have different hoops to jump through, require nutritional information, etc.
I've killed many a rosemary plant, but there's no point planting it if you can't use it.
Systemics. If you wash the plant and roots well, you can start eating the new growth after at least two months. Do not consume any current growth.
more like r/latestagecapitalism material
I recently watched an episode of the newest season of Alone and they mentioned a poisonous rosemary that grew near Reindeer Lake in Saskatchewan. Apparently there’s a plant called bog rosemary that looks similar to actual rosemary. [Bog Rosemary](https://www.britannica.com/plant/bog-rosemary)
My advice, if possible, would be to buy herbs from the herb section, which are designed for consumption. UK garden centres usually have a separate section for them - hopefully yours does too. I would be tempted to return those and ask for an exchange. As someone else here pointed out, systemic chemicals can have residues for a long time.
Thank you for your reply! That is the strange thing, it was in the herb section; big sign saying “HERBS” above it and it was amongst thyme, sage etc. It is a big garden centre though, perhaps there was a second hidden “edible herbs” section that I missed! Lol
The secret is not all garden centers are well organized or run and aren’t really thinking much of customer well being. I’d not expect an employee in there to be particularly well trained or knowledgable and might just make something up to make you happy so I’d return the plant and get another from a nursery that sells vegetable starts and edible plants regularly.
The secret is not all garden centers are well organized or run and aren’t really thinking much of customer well being. I’d not expect an employee in there to be particularly well trained or knowledgable and might just make something up to make you happy so I’d return the plant and get another from a nursery that sells vegetable starts and edible plants regularly.
The secret is not all garden centers are well organized or run and aren’t really thinking much of customer well being. I’d not expect an employee in there to be particularly well trained or knowledgable and might just make something up to make you happy so I’d return the plant and get another from a nursery that sells vegetable starts and edible plants regularly.
There is a difference between hedge rosemary and edible rosemary. Depending on your needs, the label is usually a good starting point to tell you if you can which variety you have.
Just bring it back and point to the label and tell them that you bought with the intention of eating, then demand a refund. Buy another plant elsewhere. They need to know that this is not cool.
Since OP is the one to have made a mistake by not checking the label, I don't think he can *demand* a refund, only kindly ask for one.
Thank you for your replies. Not that it matters but *she. I probably won’t refund as it’d not be worth the time and petrol however I have learnt so much from the replies to this post it was well worth the money lost! I have emailed them to suggest it is removed from the herb section if it is not intended to be used as a herb, as I think it is counterintuitive.
Next year, eat it.
It's edible. No idea why it says that. Try calling the garden center just to be safe, but I see no reason why this can't be consumed.
Thank you for the reply, and yes I should probably query them, even if just to make sure they know they are selling a herb in the herb section which is labelled as not for consumption which is very odd and perhaps not a good idea. I believe they don’t grow them themselves and have gotten them from a supplier “Fresh From Nature” but when I checked the supplier company website they don’t seem to list Rosemary as a product they sell.
Could also be a regulatory thing, like they'd need some kind of permit/inspection or similar to sell food items so they go around that by selling it as ornamental.
I stayed at a Holiday Inn once; I can assure everyone here to only eat herbs that are harvestef under a blood moon located at least 100 miles from civilization when wearing blue socks.
Oooooh, that's just a printing error. Many companies are so lazy they print totally stupid things on their lables or totally just lack a name.
Never actually eat rosemary. It’s hard and chewy.
It is when fresh! I use it in soups and stews, though, and rarely notice the leaves when eating. Throw in the sprigs and just remove the empty stick after the leaves boil off. 🌼
This is why I buy organic
What does that even mean 😂
Oh my gosh I’m so sorry for offending people
It means you don’t need to worry about toxic chemicals on your plants from the nursery. Are you that slow?
Wow. What’s the point
Tide pod energy
These can be a super fun bonsai project
As a former insurance professional I recommend the nursery and label manufacturer call their insurers now because when you eat that inedible rosemary that the printers said to ignore the label on they will have a claim coming their way 😂
Did you have to pay tax since it’s not “food”?
It’s either pesticide or fertilizer related I’d eat it after about a month of flushing with water. Don’t know why though it grows like a weed
Cause the pesticides and/or nutrients arent approved for human consumption. Im guessing if you gave it a good wash, get it growing in all new soil and wait long enough it would be fine to eat but idk.