• Image of Cistus x purpureus|Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC|JLBG

    Photo by JLBG taken at Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC

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Cistus x purpureus

Purple Rock Rose

This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

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Item #: 5498

Zones: 7b to 11

Dormancy: Evergreen

Height: 36" tall

Culture: Sun

Origin: Southern Europe

Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)


Cistus x purpureus is a hybrid of two Mediterranean species, Cistus ladanifer x Cistus creticus, originally hybridized for fragrant oil production. Despite its Mediterranean heritage, Cistus x purpureus fares quite well in our wet, humid summers as long as the soil drainage is excellent. Cistus x purpureus matures as a 3' tall x 5' wide evergreen shrub, clothed in gummy-feeling, narrow, dark green foliage. The highlight season is late spring, when the clump is topped by stunning 3.5", pinky-purple, papery flowers. Each flower is highlighted by a dark maroon blotch at the base of each petal. This is one of the most asked-about plants at our spring open house.