We favor this upright, robust Cistus for its decorative leaves and large showy flowers. A Cistus ladanifer and Cistus populifolius hybrid backcrossed once again with Cistus ladanifer, ‘Maculatus’s foliage is fastened by reddened petioles, tapers to a point and features margins so evenly rippled that the edges are pulled up. The intriguing slender greenery elevates 3 in. wide, billowy white blossoms whose closely arranged petals flaunt a striking, almost triangular, wine-colored mark at their bases while encircling a bright gilded hub of stamens.

Blooms late April–mid-July.

Size: 6' 0" high x 4' 0" – 5' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

Olivier Filippi, guardian of the French National Cistus collection, kindly gave us this delightful Eric Sammons hybrid. A robust descendant of Cistus dansereaui ‘Decumbens’, ‘Ann Baker’ is pleasingly attired with delicate, white saucer-shaped flowers, centered by a singular sanguine marking and a small yellow splash on each petal. Slightly undulating and lacking petioles, the handsome, dark green leaves clasp arching, red-tinged stems.

Noteworthy for blooming later than most other Rockroses, ‘Ann Baker’ prolongs the flowering period well into September, and is a welcome addition to the Mediterranean garden alongside Lavender, Rosemary, and other Rockroses.

Blooms May–September.

Size: 2-1/2' – 3-1/2' high x 5' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

Silvery pink, crepe paper-like petals float over the ripple-edged gray-green foliage of this tasteful, low growing evergreen shrub. Equally at home in tough coastal or inland environments, ‘Anne Palmer’ makes a memorable companion for Salvia ‘Waverly’ and Lepechinia hastata.

Blooms May–September

Size: 2-1/2' – 3' 0" high x 6' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

This well-mannered Cistus wins a place in our garden for its neat rounded habit that stays relatively small. Knitting a handsome upright foil, the easily shorn, maroon-tinted stems plus small, wavy and textured gray-green leaves parade countless 1 ½ in. blooms with prominent golden eyes and white parchment-like petals tinged pale yellow at each base.

Blooms June–July

Size: 3' 0" – 4' 0" high x 3' 0" – 4' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

An excellent shrubby ground cover, this Cistus displays luminous flowers against a vigorous and glossy dark green foil of curvy-margined, lance-shaped leaves. Each ornate snowy-white petal is elegantly stamped with a prominent burgundy blotch at its base.

Blooms May–July

Size: 2' 0" high x 4' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

A merlot-colored triangular brush stroke boldly brands each overlapping tissuelike petal, etching a distinctive 5-pointed star with a pronounced golden center. Large blossoms, spanning 3 snowy white in. across, are cupped, rimpled and renown for their long lasting flowery pomp.

Named after a private English garden and parented by Cistus ladnifer and Cistus inflatus, ‘Jenkyn Place’s small vigorous frame blends shapely red-tinged green stems and narrow sticky, pucker-edged deep green leaves that smell spicy and taper toward their tips.

Blooms April – July.

Size: 4' 0" – 5' 0" high x 4' 0" – 5' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

Created and named by British Cistus aficionado, Eric Sammons, this Cistus ‘Little Gem’ and Cistus laurifolius cross celebrates not only showy blooms but a low comely mound, which responds well to pruning. The gold-centered, 2-½ in. white papery flowers are engraved with striking, nearly triangular burgundy marks at each petal’s base, while gracing long, matt-finished, dark green slender leaves and somewhat lax, wine-infused stems.

Full of vigor, ‘Jessamy Beauty’ merits her name especially when set against Melianthus ‘Antonow’s Blue’s large blue-tinged foliage.

Blooms June – July.

Size: 3' 0" high x 5' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

From a distance, this Cistus’ 5 in. wide pure white flowers could easily be mistaken for those of a Romneya. Unusually large, frilly gold-centered blooms deliver a show-stopping presentation against cinnamon-colored stems and two-toned leathery leaves, which are a glistening dark green on top and silver beneath. Yielding a sticky sweetly fragrant resin known as Labdanum, vigorous growing ‘Bennett’s White’ can be planted with Lavandula ‘Ana Luisa’ in a dry Mediterranean garden where its amazing flowers and pleasant aroma will undoubtedly turn quite a few heads.

Blooms April–May

Size: 4' 0" – 5' 0" high x 4' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

Attractive curvy-edged, ovate leaves make a low growing smoky-green foil for the springtime plethora of pretty 2 in. wide, soft pink blooms that are brightened by white centers and ebullient yellow stamens. A tidy mounding evergreen, ‘Grayswood Pink’ can accompany other Mediterraneans along a path so you can easily admire its charm.

Blooms May–June

Size: 2' 0" – 3' 0" high x 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

A refined Eric Sammons hybrid of Cistus inflatus parentage and distant Cistus ladanifer ancestry, this small-statured Cistus presents delicate white flowers. A single dark maroon mark is attractively painted at the base of each petal, enhancing the sunny yellow center. Lining red-tinged stems, the textured linear leaves are slightly reflective and provide a contrasting foil for Helianthemum ‘Cheviot’.

Blooms May–June.

Size: 3' 0" high x 4' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

Dotted with soft yellow, one inch wide, paper-thin blooms, this splendid Rockrose celebrates a flower color that is pleasantly unique! Rose-scented, overlapping petals swirl around a sunlit hub, while slender green leaves—long, tapering and ripple-edged—garb its small, well-branched frame. Collected on the Mediterranean island of Majorca by Harold Read, ‘Vicar’s Mead’ makes an airy evergreen companion for Isoplexis canariensis.

Blooms April–May.

Size: 4' 0" high x 3' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

With overlapping, sheet white petals drawn together by prominent, golden clusters of stamens, the jubilant-looking, 2 in. wide flowers remind us of sunnyside-up eggs. A Cistus laurifolius and Cistus inflatus progeny, this vigorous, tall growing Cistus hosts long and pointed, dark green leaves that are gray-green below, narrowly shaped and sticky. Its sizable presence, handsome foliage and perky floral display makes it a good neighbor for Rhamnus ‘Variegata’.

Blooms late

Size: 6' 0" high x 4' 0" – 5' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

So named because of the ½ in. blood red spot at the base of each good-sized, paper-thin white petal, this dense, striking Cistus comes to us from Ken Montgomery of Boonville, California. Its deep green, glossy linear leaves and young stems are fragrant and sticky to the touch. Bold, deer resistant and adorned with eight-chambered brown seed pods, ‘Red Eye’ deserves to be displayed as a specimen.

Blooms March–May.

Size: 5' 0" high x 5' 0" – 6' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

With a high-born lineage that includes Cistus parviflorus and Cistus salviifolius, it’s no wonder this seldom offered, easy-to-maintain Cistus is shapely and small statured, unlike so many other Rockroses. ‘Natacha’ displays handsome textured gray-green foliage and delicate pink-tinged, yellow-centered white flowers. Stimulated by pruning, her rounded profile makes a superb companion for more diminutive plants like Ballota pseudodictamnus and Calamagrostis foliosa.

Blooms April–June

Size: 4' 0" high x 4' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

The unique apple green foliage has decorative rippled margins and comprises dense hearty mounds, creating a luxurious backdrop for its yellow-centered white flowers. Big red-hued buds appear in late winter and look stunning with the verdant leaves and springtime tissue-thin blooms.

Blooms April – June.

Size: 6' 0" high x 6' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

Achieving the delicacy of parchment, each white overlapping petal features a striking maroon brush mark at its base. The large flowers are drawn together by a predominant yellow eye, while poised amongst wavy, dark green narrow leaves. Upright and sticky, red-flushed stems forge a rounded profile that can be associated with Perovskia abrotanoides and Eryngium ‘Blaukappe’ for an arresting union.

Blooms May–June.

Size: 5' 0" – 6' 0" high x 5' 0" – 6' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

Regarded by Eric Sammons as perhaps the most successful of his unreleased hybrids, this well-bred Cistus is a progeny of Cistus populifolius subsp. major and Cistus inflatus. ‘Snow Fire’ grows into a medium-sized shrub embellished with illuminated blooms, whose blazing marks undoubtedly kindled the “fire” in its cultivar name. Dainty white overlapping petals surround a golden eye, and each is etched by a vivid wine-red patch at the base, while wavy rich green leaves and reddish stems respond quite well to pruning.

Blooms April–August

Size: 4' 0" – 4-1/2' high x 4' 0" – 5' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.

The name ‘Snow White’ surely refers to the multitude of orange-centered, papery white flowers that embellish this choice mounding Cistus. Perhaps even more noticeable are the large, intricately-winged buds. Deep red in color, and covered with a downy fuzz, they nearly obscure the bright green, undulating foliage for most of the season, adding to its soft, alluring appearance.

Blooms April-August

Size: 6' 0" high x 8' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.