Helianthemum 'Bunbury'

RHS Plant Profile

rock rose 'Bunbury'

RHS

Shrubs

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A low-growing shrub with a loose, spreading habit and small, oval evergreen leaves. In late spring and summer it produces a succession of deep-pink, disk-shaped flowers with bright yellow centres on thin stems.

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Neutral or Alkaline

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or 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): H5
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, Spreading branched
Genus: Helianthemum are bushy or spreading evergreen shrubs with small paired leaves and saucer-shaped flowers borne in short racemes in spring and early summer
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun This plant was included in the RHS Helianthemum (rock rose) trial 2024-2026 https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/trials-awards/ongoing-plant-trials/helianthemum

Propagation

Propage by seed using ripe seeds of species in a cold frame in autumn. Propagate by softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back lightly after flowering flowering in mid- to late summer. Prune stems individually rather than shearing over the entire plant.

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility