Common Name:
Rockrose
About 20 species of small to medium-sized, evergreen to semi-evergreen shrubs, often low growing. Leaves opposite, simple, may be aromatic, ovate to lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate. Flowers rose-like, 4-5 crépe-like petals, 3-5 sepals, numerous stamens. Grown for their long summer bloom period. Native to the scrub and summer-dry woodland areas of southern Europe, Canary Islands, and northern Africa. Numerous hybrids have originated in the wild and in cultivation.
Cistus: from kistos, the Greek name of the plant.
Pronunciation:
SIS-tus
Family:
Cistaceae