The Rockrose: How to Take Successful Cuttings

The quintessential garrigue plant, rockrose (Cistus) produces beautiful pink or white flowers continuously from May to July. This shrub, with its Mediterranean origins, is highly drought-resistant. It thrives in dry, stony, and poor soils as long as they are well-drained. Of course, rockrose loves nothing more than full sun. Under these conditions, the hardiest varieties can withstand temperatures as low as -10 to -15°C. Whether grown in pots, borders, or rockeries, rockrose requires minimal maintenance. A simple trim after flowering is all it needs. This is also the perfect time to take cuttings. Discover step by step when and how to propagate rockrose from cuttings.

Equipment needed for propagating rockrose

A disinfected and sharpened pruner;
An organic-certified rooting stimulator (optional) or rooting hormone;
A seed tray, a small crate, conventional pots, or biodegradable pots, or simple terracotta pots;
Potting compost for repotting and cuttings;
Sand;
A spray bottle;
A cloche, a mini greenhouse, a plastic bottle, or a simple plastic bag;
A pen or stick.

When to take rockrose cuttings?

The ideal time to take cuttings from your rockrose is at the end of flowering, i.e., in July or August depending on the variety. By propagating your ageing, thinning rockrose, you’ll get new plants identical to the one you love so much.

Propagating rockrose helps renew ageing shrubs that develop dead wood

To propagate rockrose, use the heel-cutting technique.

Steps for propagating rockrose

Fill your chosen container with a mix of potting compost and cutting compost, adding a small amount of sand. Aim for 2/3 compost to 1/3 sand.
Moisten the substrate by spraying.
To take cuttings, select a healthy, flower-free lateral shoot from the current or previous year, 10–15 cm long, with buds and eyes. Use the heel-cutting technique: gently tear off a side shoot, keeping a small piece of the main stem attached. Avoid using pruners—this method ensures the cutting contains meristem cells, which promote rooting. Alternatively, semi-hardwood cuttings (as used for other evergreen shrubs) also work well: choose vigorous, not overly tender shoots.
Remove the lower leaves with pruners, leaving the top 3–4 leaves. Trim the top of the cutting and halve the remaining leaves.
Optionally, dip the base of the stem in rooting hormone or growth stimulator.
Make small holes in the substrate with a pen or stick.
Insert the cuttings up to the leafy part.
Firm the soil around them and water gently.

Your cuttings are now ready—just maintain them properly for healthy growth.

Detailed steps for propagating Cistus × skanbergii

Aftercare for rockrose cuttings

Place your cuttings in a warm spot (ideally 15–20°C) out of direct sunlight. To encourage rooting, cover the containers with a mini greenhouse, cloche, plastic bottle, or bag to maintain humidity and warmth. Protect cuttings from drafts.

Keep the substrate moist.

Roots should appear after 3–4 weeks. Repot them in a mix of compost and sand to overwinter in a frost-free, bright location.

The following spring, transplant your rockrose cuttings into the ground in full sun.