Cistus creticus (Cretan Rockrose)

A carefree Mediterranean native, Cistus creticus (Cretan Rockrose) is a small, bushy, evergreen shrub with deep purple-pink to rose pink flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), adorned with orange stamens. Although each flower lasts only for a day, this vigorous shrub provides a succession of flowers for weeks in late spring with reblooms throughout the summer. The blossoms are borne atop a dense mound of slightly scented, wavy-edged, gray-green leaves. They are visited by bees and butterflies. Native to Southern Europe, Cretan Rockrose is drought tolerant and hardy to 41ºF (5ºC). An excellent addition to Mediterranean gardens or seaside gardens, it is useful for erosion control on dry banks, in rock gardens and in wild plantings.

• Grows with a bushy habit to 2-5 ft. high (60-150 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide (60-90 cm).
• Easily grown in dry to moderately moist, well-drained soils in full sun. Excellent evergreen shrub for gardens that get infrequent to little watering. Will grow in gritty-sandy soil, gritty loam or sandy clay. Protect from cold winds.
• Drought and salt tolerant, deer resistant
• Great for banks and slopes, beds and borders, wall-side borders, groundcovers, cottage gardens, coastal gardens, Mediterranean gardens, rock gardens and city gardens.
• Virtually disease and pest free. Deer resistant.
• Propagate by seed; sow as soon as ripe and keep in cold frame or sow in spring. Take softwood cuttings in summer.
• Does not respond to hard pruning.
• Native to the Apennine Peninsula, Greece, the Crimean Peninsula, Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey, the Caucasus, Algeria and Libya.