Family: Cistaceae
Common Name: Rock Rose

These delightful Mediterranean shrubs have simple, opposite leaves and papery, flattish, white, pink or purple flowers with a yellow splash at the base of the petals. They are well suited to coastal areas but are also frost-hardy, and the smaller species make excellent rock garden plants. They are often short-lived.

Species

C. x cyprius, gum cistus, has narrow, fragrant leaves and large, long-stalked clusters of white flowers, marked with red inside. It grows to 2 m (6 ft). 'Albiflorus' produces plain, white flowers.

C. incanus, Mediterranean rose, grows to 1 m (3 ft), with rosy purple flowers and broad, blunt leaves. There are many cultivars of cistus. 'Doris Hibberson' grows to 1 m and has gray-green leaves and crinkled, pure pink flowers; 'Peggy Sammons' has light purple-pink blooms, height 1 m (3 ft); and 'Silver Pink' produces silvery pink blooms, height 75 cm (30 in).

C. ladanifer, laudanum, produces a resin used in perfumery. The pure white flowers have a deep red blotch at the base of each petal.

Cultivation

Cistus is easy to grow but thrives in a light, well-drained soil in a reasonably sheltered spot. No pruning is necessary apart from the removal of seed-heads. Propagate from semi-ripe cuttings in summer or autumn.

Climate

Zone 8 for most of the species and hybrids.