About

This low-growing, bushy evergreen shrub features slender, elliptical leaves with a grey-green hue. The flowers, measuring 5 cm across, are white and each petal displays a crimson zone above a yellow base. Blooming occurs in late spring and early summer.

About the genus

Cistus consists of evergreen shrubs featuring simple, opposite leaves. They produce bowl-shaped flowers with five petals that can be white, pink, or purplish. Each flower lasts for just one day, blooming over an extended summer period.

Growing conditions

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Well-drained

Aspect

West-facing, South-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H4

Plant details

Plant type

Shrubs

Habit

Bushy

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Spread

0.5-1 metres

Time to full height

2-5 years

Suggested uses

Coastal, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Rock garden

Care notes

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, sandy, poor soil in full sun. They are less hardy if grown in shade or very fertile soil. Shelter from cold, drying winds

Pruning

Pruning group 9 but keep pruning to a minimum, pruning is rarely needed

Propagation

Root softwood cuttings from late spring to early summer; semi-ripe cuttings from midsummer to late winter

Pest resistance

Generally pest-free

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free