Cistus ×argenteus 'Blushing Peggy Sammons'
Common name(s): rockrose
Description: evergreen shrub; found as a darker purple-pink color sport of C. 'Peggy Sammons' by Alex Pankhurst of Essex in the 1990s. Vigorous, upright growth with gray-green foliage and dark purple-pink flowers (6 cm.) from spring into summer. Obsessive tip pruning when young will promote branching, resulting in a more attractive, compact specimen. Very hardy. Parentage: C. laurifolius × C. ×canescens (triple hybrid).
Height: to 4 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.
Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil. Will tolerate nearby root competition from larger trees such as pines and firs
Uses: ornamental
Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below
Drought: adapted to 4 months of summer drought
Care: tip-pruning after flowering (especially in the first couple of years) will result in a more attractive, compact plant. Cistus generally won't tolerate or regenerate from hard pruning of older, woody growth.
