White rock rose

Sun

Full sun; shelter from cold, drying winds.

Water

Water regularly during the first growing season, allowing the soil surface to dry between waterings. Once established, water only during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil, from mildly acidic to alkaline. Avoid waterlogged ground and heavily enriched planting holes.

Height

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m)

Flowers

Late spring to early summer; white flowers with yellow centres, opening from pink-tinged buds.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, opposite, oval green leaves with a wrinkled surface and slightly wavy edges; aromatic when handled.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.9 ft (0.58 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.2 ft (0.66 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.4 ft (0.74 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (0.9 m)

   full size

About 5 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in spring in cooler climates so roots establish before winter.
• Water deeply during establishment, then reduce watering as the shrub settles in.
• Use a thin gravel mulch and keep it clear of the stems.
• Avoid routine feeding; rich soil and excess fertiliser encourage soft growth.
• Keep lawn irrigation away from established plants, especially in summer.

Pruning. Lightly trim leafy shoots just after flowering to keep the shrub compact. Do not cut back into bare old wood, as it often fails to regrow.

Spring

Plant in freely drained soil once severe frost has passed; water thoroughly.

Late spring

Check newly planted shrubs during dry weather and water deeply when needed.

Early summer

After flowering, lightly trim leafy shoot tips without cutting into bare wood.

Summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from around the crown and check that water drains away freely.

Winter

Check for waterlogging and frost damage; leave damaged shoots until spring before assessing what to remove.

• Plant in a gravel garden with lavender and rosemary for contrasting foliage and successive flowers.
• Use as a low, informal evergreen mass along a sunny path, allowing room for its spreading branches.
• Plant on a sunny, well-drained bank where its broad shape softens the slope.
• Combine with silver-leaved shrubs in a white garden for a restrained green, silver and white palette.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Coastal, Low-maintenance, White garden and Desert / xeriscape.

Plant it with: English lavender, Rosemary, Cotton lavender, Creeping thyme and Blue fescue.

Wildlife: The pollen-rich flowers attract bees and other flower-visiting insects.

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage before planting, avoid frequent irrigation and replace badly affected plants.
• Frost and cold-wind damage: choose a sheltered site and remove dead tips in spring once new growth shows.
• Leggy growth or bare centres: trim lightly after flowering each year; replace old shrubs rather than pruning hard.
• Yellowing and weak growth in poorly drained soil: check drainage before adding fertiliser.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is generally recognised as poisonous, but it is not a food plant and eating plant material may cause stomach upset.

• Sage-leaved rock rose (Cistus salviifolius)

  Also has white flowers, but its foliage is generally greyer and more noticeably hairy than the greener leaves of white rock rose.

• Gum rock rose (Cistus ladanifer)

  Usually taller, with long, narrow, sticky leaves and much larger white flowers, often marked with dark maroon blotches.

• Common rock rose (Helianthemum nummularium)

  A much lower, mat-forming plant with smaller leaves and flowers; wild forms usually flower yellow.

Cistus comes from the ancient Greek name for rock roses, and hybridus indicates that the plant is a hybrid.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer and root them in a gritty, freely draining medium. Cuttings preserve the hybrid's characteristics; seedlings may differ from the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Cistus hybridus

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.