Cistus

Rockrose
Cistaceae
Evergreen, Ground covers, Shrubs, Flowers

Mediterranean natives; hardy to 15°F/°9°C. Grown with borderline success in Zones 4, 5. In their favored dry-summer climate, they are carefree shrubs bearing a profusion of showy flowers for a month or more from spring into early summer; may also bloom sporadically at other times. In some rockroses, leaves are coated with a perfumed resin; others have foliage covered with gray wool. When plants are out of bloom, their soft green, silver, or grayish foliage and mounded form add subtle color and texture to the landscape.

Sun loving, fast growing, tolerant of aridity. Accept poor soil, cold ocean winds, salt spray, desert heat. Often planted in fire-hazard areas. Good erosion-control cover for dry banks. Useful in big rock gardens, in rough areas along drives, in wild plantings. Taller kinds make attractive informal hedges. Give plants well-drained soil if they will be watered. When locating in an area that won°t be irrigated, take particular care not to plant root-bound plants; cut circling roots and spread out the mass so roots can grow down to lower soil levels.

Most rockroses resent hard pruning. To keep plants vigorous and neat, periodically cut out a few old stems. Tip-pinch young plants to thicken growth, or give a light overall summer shearing to new growth and stems that have not become woody. If plants become woody and sparse after several years, it is often easiest to replace them.

 

Cistus ladanifer

Compact growth to 3–5 ft. high with equal spread. Fragrant leaves to 4 in. long are dark green above, lighter beneath; 3-in.-wide flowers are white with a dark crimson spot at each petal base.

Cistus x hybridus

Widely grown. To 3–4 ft. tall and 4–8 ft. wide. Gray-green, crinkly leaves are fragrant on warm days. White flowers 1 1/2 in. across, yellow centers.

Cistus x purpureus

Compact grower to 4 ft. tall and wide, often shorter and wider when subjected to constant ocean winds. Leaves 1–2 in. long, dark green above, gray and hairy beneath. The 3-in., reddish purple flowers have a red spot at each petal base. Very fine where cool winds and salt spray limit choice of plants.

'Prostratus'

Sometimes sold as C. villosus‘Prostratus’. Wide-spreadingshrub to 2 ft. high, 6 ft. wide.Light gray-green leaves arecrinkly, veined, crisp-looking.Profuse show of 1 1/2-in.-wideflowers, white with yellow spotat petal base. Good bank orgroundcover for rough situations.

'Sunset' ('Brilliancy')

Dense, spreading growth to 2 ft. high, 6–8 ft. wide, with resinous gray-green leaves and 2-in.-wide flowers in dark magenta-pink.

'Victor Reiter'

Stiffly erect plant to 3–4 ft. high and wide. Gray-green leaves; 2 1/2 –3 1/2 -in. wide blossoms in hot pink with paler pink center. Sister seedling of 'Doris Hibberson' but superior to it.