A dense bushy shrub with deeply veined grey-green leaves. Pretty saucer-shaped clear pink flowers in summer.
According to the RHS, Cistus parviflorus and Cistus x argenteus 'Silver Pink', are both synonymous with Cistus x lenis 'Grayswood Pink'. In our garden Cistus parviflorus has a more upright habit, than our 'Silver Pink'.
How/when to prune. Can I be fairly drastic? My plant came from you and was covered in flowers last year; not nearly as good this year (may have been weather?!) but with, noticeably, parts that did not flower at all. Any info gratefully received. Many thanks. Tessa Feilden
Generally, Cistus require little if any pruning, and most certainly dislike being cut back hard. Here in the gardens, we lightly prune back the spent flowering tips after flowering – late August to early September. Established plants do not require regular pruning, and often don't recover well from it. So, pruning should generally be limited to the removal of any dead or frost-damaged growth in spring. However, to stop established plants wasting energy on seed production and to help retain a compact shape, particularly on those that produce flower clusters at the tips of shoots, you could give them a light trim immediately after flowering. Cistus naturally become leggy and sprawling with age, and it is tempting to cut them back hard, to try to regain a compact, bushy shape. However, as with many Mediterranean shrubs, the old, woody stems often do not resprout after pruning, so in most cases it is better to replace them.