Rosemary is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. The name ""rosemary"" derives from the Latin for ""dew"" and ""sea"" or ""dew of the sea"", because in many locations, it needs no water other than the humidity carried by the sea breeze to live. Rosemary is used as a decorative plant in gardens and has many culinary and medical uses. The plant is said to improve the memory. The leaves are used to flavor various foods, such as stuffings and roast meats.