Helianthemum Rhodanthe Carneum - Rock Rose

The 'Rhodanthe Carneum' Helianthemum , also known as 'Wisley Pink' Helianthemum, is a very pretty hybrid variety of Helianthemum that resembles a small cottony Cistus, but is much hardier than the latter. This very floriferous undershrub forms a vigorous ground cover. The large flat and silky flowers, light pink with a golden centre, are suffused with orange. Its evergreen grey-green-silvery foliage provides a beautiful backdrop to this flowering. It will thrive in sunny borders and rockeries, cascading over a wall or between the stones of a paving.

Belonging to the Cistaceae family, the 'Rhodanthe Carneum' Helianthemum is one of the most famous hybrids between Helianthemum apenninum, native to southern Europe, and Helianthemum mummularium, widespread in Europe and Turkey. Like its ancestors, 'Whisley Pink' loves limestone, rocky and sandy soils, full sun positions. Without these conditions, it does not flower and withers. It forms a low, spreading and dense undershrub, in a cushion shape, 30cm (11.8in) high and 40 to 50cm (15.7 to 19.7in) wide. Its evergreen to semi-evergreen foliage in cold regions is composed of small linear, grey-green and cottony leaves. It enhances an abundant and luminous flowering, pink with an orange heart. From May to August, it is covered with a multitude of small 3cm (1.2in) diameter, cup-shaped flowers with five crumpled petals, adorned with a bunch of golden stamens.

Helianthemum is the ideal plant to enhance a rocky garden, a sunny slope, cascading over a wall, in a paving... It will also have a beautiful effect at the forefront of perennial borders or raised beds. It is also suitable for cultivation in pots or containers for terraces. It is appropriate to consider it in the construction of green walls and green roofs. It can be associated with other rock plants (Erigeron, Shrubby Potentilla, Shrubby Stock), but also with perennial plants such as Lavender, Iris germanica, Cistus, Helenium, Convolvulus, Coreopsis, Agapanthus. Its flowers blend delicately with the grey foliage of Stachys, Artemisias, Ballotas...