With a native range across the Mediterranean area, the rock roses are ideal plant for our Gravel Garden. Drought tolerant once established, coping with long hot summers, excelling on poorer, well-drained soils. They make a variety of rounded, to spreading evergreen shapes, a perfect contrast to strong verticals, or the exuberance of some herbaceous perennials. Leaves often scented, with the resin ladanum of C. ladanifer and C. creticus extracted and used in herbal medicine and in perfumes. Flowering occurs from late spring through summer. Individual blooms often have crinkled petals, which may be short-lived, but they are produced over a long period. Various shades from white to pink, with attractive markings. Excellent for bees. A light prune after flowering can be done to retain shape, but they don't generally respond to being cut back hard. Cistus is one of the parents of the bi-generic hybrid x Halimiocistus.
Epitomizing the necessary future of gardening in a warmed world, Cistus have it all: drought-tolerance, floral beauty over a long period, and a moderate to high attraction (according to species) to pollinators. The massed stamens produce abundant pollen, the nectaries (at least in some species) a good nectar supply, and so they are much visited by honeybees, hoverflies and beetles.