Helianthemum Bronzeteppich - Rock Rose

Helianthemum 'Bronzeteppich' is a superb variety of rockrose that offers a long flowering period in warm colours. Its small bronze orange flowers bloom from May to September on delicate foliage of a beautiful dark ash green that will persist if the winter is not too cold. This subshrub, hardy in well-drained soil, forms lovely ground cover for sunny areas of the garden such as a rockery or the top of a wall. It is a good plant for a dry or mineral garden, and will also thrive in a planter on the terrace.

Belonging to the Cistaceae family, Helianthemum 'Bronzeteppich' is a horticultural hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of H. apenninum, native to southern Europe, and H. mummularium, widespread in Europe and Turkey. Like other varieties of the genus, 'Bronzeteppich' loves limestone, rocky, sandy soils and the sun. It forms a low-growing, dense and creeping subshrub, with a cushion height of 20 cm (8 in) and a width of 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in). Its more or less evergreen foliage is composed of tiny linear leaves, dark silver-green in colour, slightly shiny, which highlights its abundant and bright bronze orange flowering, with a dark orange central halo. From May-June to August-September it is covered with a multitude of small flowers measuring 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter, with simple, slightly crumpled cups, adorned with a cluster of golden to orange stamens. Helianthemum means "flower of the sun" in Greek, an appropriate name for these flowers that only open in bright sunlight. The delicate blooms do not last long, but they constantly renew themselves.

The rockrose is the ideal plant to enhance a rocky garden or sunny slope, to cascade over a wall, or brighten up paving. It will also have a beautiful effect at the front of perennial or raised flowerbeds. It is suitable for cultivation in pots or containers on the terrace. It can be considered for the creation of green walls and green roofs. Combine with other rockery plants (Erigeron, Shrubby Cinquefoil, Shrubby Wallflower), as well as perennial plants such as Lavender, Iris germanica, Cistus, Helenium, Convolvulus cneorum and sabatius, Coreopsis, thymes, creeping rosemary. Its flowers blend delicately with the grey foliage of stachys, dwarf artemisias, and cerastiums (dusty miller).