Halimiocistus sahucii

x Halimiocistus sahucii is a small bush resulting from spontaneous cross-breeding between Cistus salviifolius and Halimium umbellatus. The plant forms a low and wide dome and its thick foliage remains evergreen in winter. In spring, its growth is covered with a multitude of small white flowers with yellow centres, transforming it into a remarkably bright ball. Cistus plants not very resistant to severe frost. This attractive hybrid will make a great impression in rock gardens, on a dry slope, or mixed with other Mediterranean shrubs in a dry garden.

x Halimiocistus sahucii belongs to the Cistaceae family. Its first parent is the sage-leaved rock rose, which dots the dry slopes and woods of Mediterranean regions in Europe. The second parent is the rock-rose with umbels, specific to siliceous and rocky slopes. This branched, bushy shrub has a loose and spreading habit. It will reach about 50 cm (19.7 in) in height, with a diameter of 90 cm. Flowering occurs in spring or early summer depending on the climate (in May-June), and lasts for about three weeks. The flowers are round and fully open corollas, 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. They have 5 pure white petals surrounding a bright yellow centre. Each flower only lives for a day, covering the ground with its petals in the late afternoon, but it will already be replaced the next morning. The persistent foliage is composed of thick and wavy, oval, medium to dark green, hairy leaves, measuring 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) in length. This variety can withstand short frosts of about -7°C (19.4 °F) once mature if planted in well-drained soil, sheltered from the wind.

x Halimiocistus sahucii is a plant for rock gardens and poor soils, well adapted to drought and coastal areas. Create a group, reminiscent of the garrigue, by mixing the foliage and scents of lavenders (blue, white, pink), rosemary (creeping or upright), thymes (T.vulgaris, T. polytrichus), salvias (Salvia x jamensis or officinalis), oreganos, teucriums (T.chamaedrys, T. x lucidrys, T. hircanicum), catmints, ballotes and dryland spurges (E.characias, E. cyparissias). The combination of this white cistus with the Mauritanian bindweed Convolvulus sabatius is sensational.

The rock rose is a pioneer plant, linked to fire ecology. In nature, seed germination is subject to the intense and brief heat associated with fires. These shrubs quickly colonize devastated surfaces, allowing other plants to settle in the shelter of their branches. With a relatively short lifespan of 10 to 15 years, cistus plants then make way for larger shrubs that deprive them of sunlight.