Whatever it is, its not rosemary - I don't recognise it, and I think you said it had small yellow flowers, benice to see one of those if possible. Are the leaves fragrant when crushed or bruised? Leaves remind me of azalea, though I'm not saying it is that.

Franco if you google Rosemarinus hopefully it will produce a picture of what we call Rosemary

He's already done a lot of research, Hijuju - previous question on this indicates that - and from that research has established that this is most likely not a rosemary...

Thanks so much for enlightening me. The "Burpee" seeds pack said it was Rosemary ..can't really smell much of anything when I crush a leaf other than the usual green smell you get when you crush any leaf (non-herb). I wish I knew what this was, obviously it's something because it's being sold in packs in America.....
Something has been destroying it too, maybe a bird, just breaks the plant at the base and takes every leaf off the stem ...... but doesn't touch any other herb.... funny, huh???
Well, I guess I'll have to ask my daughter in USA to send me another brand of seeds. I can get fresh Rosemary stems at a "western market" here. I really want to grow it, but I tried and the stems don't seem to want to sprout roots...soaked them in water, planted them straight in the soil....nothing...... can you guys help with this???? Thanks again for your help.... Franco3588

Semi ripe cuttings in midsummer and grown on in coldframe is the usual method - I'd imagine the stems you're buying in the Western market are not live or fresh enough for rooting.

I think this is a Euphorbia (subgenus Chamaesyce).

They are distingushed from most other Euphorbia's in developing their paired branching inflorescence very early with just a few alternate leaves from the seedling before branching and fruiting. There are a few ornamental's within this group but most are annual weeds from warmer climes.

Thanks Fractal, I think you're right, I looked it up and I think it's the one ....I forgot to mention that it is a succulent.....oh well, so much for Rosemary, but why would this be in a sold in a store Burpee seed packet.....as Rosemary???....hmm?? Franco3588

Yes, we get a more prstrate species that comes in with plants from southern Europe (specimen plants). Each leaf has a darke spot in the middle though nat all species do including yours.

Weeds of cultivation as I say most of them.

Hi all and again thanks to all of you I learned that my "weed for cultivation" (as Fractal said) is not Rosemary.....what compelled me to ask was that I actually used it once (stupid me, could have been poisonous.... ahhah). So embarrassing and stupid of me. I was going to pull it up, but it's looking kind of nice now and doesn't look anything like a weed...
You guys talk as if you are botanists or gardening experts. Are you in the U.S.A.??? I am just an English teacher (teaching in China - Canton, as called in USA) who loves to grow plants and really doesn't know much about planting other than putting the seeds in soil and watering them.
Another question I have is that I grow everything in containers on my balcony- facing a southern/western direction.... all the herbs I'm growing did great at start and now all about 10-40 cm... then all seemed to stop growing or slowed down, except for the basil, which is so good and so nice to have it so fresh anytime...oregano seemed to have stopped growing at about 10cm, although it smellsso like oregano,not much I can pick to use, my chili peppers, of 10 plants (no higher than 30 cm) I have just one pepper. What happened??? The average temperature the past 2 weeks has been about 32 C. The parsley is growing so slow and not really big enough to use...The ginger seems to just grow overnight- so fast...... I water them enough, but just not doing anything more. I can't find plant food anywhere ...so any suggestions or opinions??? In plain English (ahhahaha).
I know, I talk too much, but I think it's best you know all ......
Thanks for your help...
Franco3588

IN answer to your initial query, Franco, most of us are in the UK, but we also have members in USA and Australia and other parts of Europe. I know that there is a botanist who's a member, and some of us are professionals in the horticultural field of various sorts, but by far the majority of us are just ordinary individuals who like gardening! If you want to check what background people have, you can click on their avatar and have a look at their profile page.
As to your herbs, not sure why things like the oregano would have become static in their growth - they usually like hot dry, though in pots, you'd need to water. Ginger in those temperatures should romp away like crazy - parsley I've always had trouble with, slow old thing, never seems to be enough to use. Chilies may well have done better with being fed, not something I've ever grown. Can't believe there's no plant food available where you are though - have you trawled the internet for suppliers who could send it to you?

Thanks for the reply, always informative. Wow, for not being experts in the field you guys seem to know alot...
Yes, there are many places on the internet I can order from, I will never order anything through the internet - it's just a personal thing about ordering stuff - due to, let's call it a past bad experience or two. My daughter in the US will send me some. Haha, yes you'd be surprised at the lack of things that most people in other countries take for granted, I couldn't even find plain pots to plant my herbs in - so I cut up some 2 liter pop bottles and it worked, then I found a bunch of flower pots and soil at a site they were tearing down. Yes, many things I miss - so the reason why I decided just to grow my own, bake Italian bread, cook practically gourmet foods from scratch (get tired or rice twice a day, I am not exaggerating - ahhaha) and I've become quite the chef..... and so much fun too, thus the need for the herbs, etc....well this is the first year and I am learning more and more about growing herbs - more seeds are on the way - big variety. I have a big balcony which I am slowly turning into a big herb garden (I'll post pics when plants are big enough). We have no winter to speak of here - during "winter"maybe the coldest it will get for a few days or weeks will be about 8-15C). So I have to figure out how to fool the plants into thinking it's their spring time,,,, hahahha. Any experience with year around growing? Seems like plants know wintertime, spring, etc... not a matter of just good weather. Oh, the ginger is doing great, just a few days old being outside (I started inside) and already there is about a 8cm growth on it!!!!
Well, thanks again.
(Coincidentally, tomorrow I start "training" select ESL (English as a Second Language) students to go to U.K. -->Huddleston U. (?)
Ciao.... or cheers as you say in UK... franco

Hello
I'm not sure what that plant is your growing looks a bit like a Mexican herb.
I had that happen this year I bought a Pk. of spring green seeds, planted them, but up came something else. It looked a bit like a small Kale but I don't think it is.
( There is a pic of it on one of my blogs.) I tasted it and it was good so I added it to my salad and it gave a lovely peppery taste. ) Heaven only knows what it is!!!!

Parsley grows like a weed for me. It likes shade though so place it in the shade and see what it does. If that's impossible put it behind a bigger plant out of direct sun. If some of your other herb are not doing so well try them in a more shaded place, but if all you have is your sunny balcony then make one corner more shaded by putting up a screen or something.

Can you make some compost tea? That works better than plant food.
Let me know if that works

Thanks Angieindgarden...I was just browsing through this site and I saw your new post. I have no clue about compost tea. I found some kind of plant food and the plants seemed to grow by the inch(es) overnight, especially the ginger, so now I'm using it once a week. As far as the parsley, it was doing great and then this morning I went out on my balcony to take a look as I usually do every morning and all the leaves from all the parsley were gone.... nothing else was touched, other than the plant (picture I posted here), all the leaves were broken off - just all to pieces. I posted a question as what could be causing this and I can't find anything that they suggested (snails, caterpillars, slugs, etc....no trails at all). I read that parsley is toxic to some birds.... so now I am left with no parsley - and we were enjoying it finally - now not even one leaf. The next thing I may have to do is put a screen around it. Uncanny though how whatever is eating my parsley, does not touch anything else (oregano, basil , fennel....nothing else - just the parsley). Any ideas... suggestions???
Thanks,
franco3588