Cistus ocymoides

RHS Plant Profile

basil-leaved rockrose

RHS

Synonyms

× Halimiocistus algarvensis, Cistus algarvensis, Halimium ocymoides, Helianthemum algarvense, Helianthemum ocymoides

Shrubs

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A bushy, spreading dwarf evergreen shrub with narrowly oval, grey-green leaves and bright yellow flowers to 3cm wide, the petals blotched with deep purple at the base, in early summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H4
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Cistaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Cistus are evergreen shrubs with simple, opposite leaves and 5-petalled, bowl-shaped, white, pink or purplish flowers, each lasting a single day, over a long period in summer
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Iberian Pen., Morocco

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained sandy soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

pruning group 9

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free