Cistus and Halimiums (Rockroses)


Evergreen, shrubs with aromatic foliage ranging from dark green to light gray and characteristic blooms of saucer shaped flowers. Their common name of “rockrose” is in reference to their flowers, which resemble the single flower of old fashioned or antique roses; and their ability to grow in poor, rocky, but well-drained soil. They are indigenous to the Mediterranean basin ranging in elevation from a stony scrub land (known as the maquis) up to the higher dry woodlands or open pine-forests (elevation of 3000 feet). Most species exhibit a long blooming period of three to four weeks while the sterile hybrids bloom even longer. Their unique fragrance is exuded by a resin in their leaves called labdanum which has been used extensively in the perfume industry.

Requirements: Full sun and well-draining soil. Once established they are incredibly drought tolerant 


Care: They resent heavy pruning and root disturbance. We tip prune shoots early in young plants to promote branching and only later prune out dead wood with mature plants. Avoid over fertilizing container grown plants as this may promote soft growth susceptible to winter damage. The plants are remarkably maintenance free and have no serious pest or disease problem.

Our Selection

× Halimiocistus sahucii

Cistus 'Christopher Gable'

CIstus 'Gordon Cooper'

Cistus 'Jessamy Beauty'

Cistus 'Snow Fire'

Cistus × argenteus 'Blushing Peggy Sammons'

Cistus × argenteus 'Silver Pink'

Cistus × dansereaui 'Jenkyn Place'

Cistus × florentinus

Cistus × laxus 'Snow White'

Cistus × lepidocalyx 'White Satin'

Cistus × pagei

Cistus × pulverulentus 'Sunset'

Cistus × purpureus

Cistus × purpureus 'Alan Fradd'

Cistus × skanbergii

Cistus creticus subsp. creticus 'Lasithi'

Halimium 'Sarah'

Halimium atriplicifolium

× Halimiocistus sahucii


A vigorous and low spreading cross between halimium and cistus. Very floriferous and perfectly sized for rock gardens or the front of a border. 1.5 in. pure white flowers. Parentage: Cistus salvifolius x Halimium umbellatum.


Height: to 1 ft.    Spread: to 3 ft.

Cistus 'Christopher Gable'


Raised by Robert G. Page and named for the ballet dancer and actor Christopher Gable. A vigorous grower with an arching growth habit. It is especially floriferous and long-blooming and has the smallest (1.5 in.) blotched white flowers of any of the cistus. Parentage: Cistus 'Ruby Cluster' × C. monspeliensis.


Height: to 5 ft.    Spread: to 6 ft.

Cistus 'Gordon Cooper'


Raised by Robert G. Page and named for a fellow plantsman. A very vigorous, low-growing, and spreading cistus. Blooms 2 in. blotched white flowers. Parentage: Cistus 'Ruby Cluster' × Cistus salviifolius


Height: to 2 ft.    Spread: to 6 ft.

Cistus 'Jessamy Beauty'


An especially hardy and vigorous spreading cultivar raised by the late Eric Sammons and named by Robert G. Page. Blooms 2.5 in. blotched white flowers. Parentage: Cistus 'Little Gem' × Cistus laurifolius.


Height: to 4 ft.    Spread: to 6 ft.

Cistus 'Snow Fire'


Raised by by the late Eric Sammons. A vigorous grower with a rounded growth habit. Will take more pruning than most cistus. Very hardy and floriferous with 2.5 in. blotched white flowers. Parentage: C. × dansereaui 'Decumbens, C. inflatus, and C. populifolius ssp. major.


Height: to 6 ft.    Spread: to 5 ft.

Cistus × argenteus 'Blushing Peggy Sammons'


A vigorous, upright growth habit with 2 in. purple-pink petals and compact gray-green foliage. A good choice for gardener's looking for a cistus that won't spread too much. Parentage: Cistus laurifolius × Cistus ×  canescens (triple hybrid). 


Height: to 4 ft.    Spread: to 2 ft. 

Cistus × argenteus 'Silver Pink'


Forms a neat mound and blooms 2 in. light pink flowers that fade toward white in the center. Parentage: Cistus laurifolius × Cistus ×  canescens (triple hybrid). 


Height: to 3 ft.    Spread: to 4 ft.

Cistus × dansereaui 'Jenkyn Place'


An upright cultivar with compact growth and 3 in. blotched white flowers. A very long and heavy bloomer. Parentage: Cistus ladanifer × Cistus inflatus.


Height: to 4 ft.    Spread: to 4 ft.

Cistus × florentinus


Dark green foliage and an attractive, compact growth habit. Absolutely smothered with small (1.5 in.) pure white flowers from spring to early summer. Parentage: Cistus monspeliensis × Cistus salviifolius.


Height: to 30 in.    Spread: to 4 ft.

Cistus × laxus 'Snow White'


An especially hardy and vigorous cistus with a rounded growth habit raised by by the late Eric Sammons. Very floriferous 2.5 in. pure white flowers. Parentage: Cistus populifolius × Cistus inflatus.


Height: to 6 ft.    Spread: to 6 ft.

Cistus × lepidocalyx 'White Satin'


A chance seedling (1992) from the garden of Robert G. Page. Very narrow, glossy dark green foliage and 2.5 in. white flowers. Grows upright and then spreads. Parentage: Cistus libanotis × Cistus ladanifer. 


Height: to 6 ft.    Spread: to 6 ft.

Cistus × pagei


A hybrid introduced by Robert G. Page in 1996. An especially hardy cultivar with a rounded growth habit and 1.5 in. pale pink flowers. Parentage: Cistus laurifolius × Cistus parviflorus. 


Height: to 3 ft.    Spread: to 3 ft.

Cistus × purpureus 'Alan Fradd'


A white-flowered sport of Cistus × purpureus (which has pink blotched flowers). Large and upright growth with with 3.5 in. white flowers and crimson blotched petals. Parentage: Cistus ladanifer × Cistus creticus.


Height: to 4 ft.    Spread: to 5 ft.   

Cistus × pulverulentus 'Sunset'


A low, spreading cistus with 2 in. magenta-pink flowers. A very long bloomer that blooms off and on for us throughout the summer. Parentage: Cistus albidus × Cistus crispus.


Height: to 2 ft.    Spread: to 3 ft.

Cistus × skanbergii


An upright growth habit and 1 in. pale pink flowers. Parentage: Cistus parviflorus x Cistus monspeliensis.


Height: to 3 ft.    Spread: to 4 ft. 

Cistus creticus ssp. creticus 'Lasithi'


Collected from the Lasithi Plateau of Crete by Robert G. Page and selected for its "compact form with strong purple-pink flowers." Possibly hardier than other common forms of C. creticus. Long-blooming 2 in. pink flowers. 


Height: to 3 ft.    Spread: to 2 ft.

Halimium 'Sarah'


Raised by the late Eric Sammons and one of the hardiest halimiums we've grown. A rounded growth habit and very floriferous 1.5 in. blotched yellow flowers. Parentage: Halimium lasianthum 'Formosum' x Halimium ocymoides.


Height: to 3 ft.    Spread: to 3 ft.

Halimium atriplicifolium


Unique silver-gray foliage with reddish stems. This has been one of the latest bloomers for us of delightful 2 in. bright yellow flowers. Not reliably hardy but will survive all but the severest Oregon winters with decent drainage. 


Height: to 3 ft.    Spread: to 3 ft.

Additional resources:


Other Cistus in our collection that we don't actively propagate: