large herb bush found on california coast & vegas

[tandemrx]

I have always wondered what is the large herbal bush (hedge) is that is frequently found in the southwest that the bees go crazy over.

I have seen it frequently around the casino's in Las Vegas and also on the coastal cities just north of San Diego (Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff by the Sea).

It is usually in managed planting areas (often along trails/ walking paths) and is either a large dense individual bush (easily 4-5 feet tall) or planted in dense hedge rows (still usually pruned to 3-4 feet tall).

It would seem to either be a thyme plant or a rosemary plant by smell (definitely not sage or russian sage - much more dense of a plant).  But I am not really sure which herb it is and I can't really find thyme plants that would seem to get this big although for some reason I always figured it was thyme - now I am not sure that it might not be rosemary.

The bees are always all over these plants with their small blue/purplish blossoms.

I don't think I have any pictures, but figure someone in southern California must know what this plant is.

thanks

[Pink Cow]

Sure sounds like decorative rosemary. It's very popular in managed gardens. Easy to tell from thyme as it has needle-like leaves as opposed to thyme's tiny, flat leaves and does have blue/purple flowers. Here in California it's already blooming and I'm seeing it worked heavily by bees, and I've watched ours come back carrying, and dusted with purple/grey pollen.

It's sort of a "mini", tighter-growing version of the rosemary more commonly used for cooking. Lots of flowers.