Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Cistus x hybridus
White Rock Rose
- Family
- Cistaceae
- Height
- 2 to 3 feet
- Width
- 3 to 4 feet
- Flower color
- White with yellow centers
- Foliage color
- Dark green
- Bloom time
- Late spring to early summer
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Maintenance
- Low; minimal pruning needed
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 7 to 10
- Wildlife
- Attracts bees and other pollinators
About this plant
Cistus x hybridus produces abundant papery white, five-petaled flowers with bright yellow centers from late spring through summer, opening from contrasting crimson-red buds. Small, ovate to heart-shaped leaves are dull dark green above and paler beneath, with distinctly wavy, lightly wrinkled margins that give the dense evergreen foliage added texture. Individual flowers are short-lived, but new blossoms open successively for an extended seasonal display.
A naturally occurring hybrid of Cistus populifolius and Cistus salviifolius, this rock rose originates in the western Mediterranean, including southern France, Spain, and Morocco. Its broad, mounding form and persistent foliage make it especially useful on slopes and banks, in coastal and Mediterranean gardens, rock gardens, gravel plantings, and mixed shrub borders, where the white flowers provide a fresh contrast against surrounding greenery.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Mediterranean Gardens · Waterwise Gardens · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Gaura · Weigela · Salvia · Baptisia · Lilies · Mexican feather grass
Design tip
Masses of white flowers can bring a cool, refreshing note to sunny gardens filled with warmer colors and silvery foliage. Its broad, bushy form works especially well repeated in loose groups, creating a relaxed rhythm while keeping the overall planting simple and cohesive.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
