Halimiocistus wintonensis Merrist Wood Cream

x Halimiocistus wintonensis 'Merrist Wood Cream', also known as cistus x revolii 'Merrist Wood Cream', is a small evergreen, quite hardy Mediterranean bush. It produces a profusion of ephemeral flowers similar to wild roses in spring, with crumpled white silk, streaked with cream, and a heart widely spotted with purple. The fragile flowers only live for a day but are continuously renewed among the thick, greenish-grey foliage. This plant is strong, armed against drought, piercing rocky ground with its deep roots to draw strength. This attractive hybrid is also drought-tolerant. Give it a dry slope, plenty of sun, and lots of warmth in a sheltered area of the garden.

x Halimiocistus wintonensis 'Merrist Wood Cream' belongs to the Cistaceae family. This hybrid appeared in cultivation in England through the cross-breeding of Halimium lasianthum 'Formosum' and Cistus salvifolius. This branching bush has a spreading habit. It reaches a height of 60 cm (23.6 in), with a diameter of 80 cm (31.5 in). The flowering takes place in spring or early summer depending on the climate and lasts for about three weeks. The flowers reflect the union of its parents, with round, fully open corollas measuring 4 to 4.5 cm (1.6 to 1.8 in) in diameter, washed with cream, and enhanced by a large dark red spot encircling the bright yellow heart. The petals slightly overlap. They only live for a day, covering the ground with their petals in the late afternoon, but will already be replaced the next morning. The persistent foliage is composed of thick, wavy, ovate, greenish-grey, downy leaves, measuring from 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) in length.

x Halimiocistus wintonensis 'Merrist Wood Cream' is a rock and poor soil plant, perfectly adapted to drought. Create a group by mixing the foliage and scents of lavender (blue, white, pink), rosemary (creeping or upright), thyme (T.vulgaris, T. polytrichus), sage (Salvia x jamensis or officinalis), oregano, teucriums (T.chamaedrys, T. x lucidrys, T. hircanicum), Californian poppies, catmints, ballotes and dry soil euphorbias (E.characias, E. cyparissias). Cultivating in large pots is possible, by ensuring good drainage and providing abundant but spaced-out watering in the summer, allowing the substrate to dry out between waterings.

The cistus is a pioneer plant, linked to fire ecology. In nature, seed germination is subject to the intense and brief heat associated with fires. They quickly colonize devastated areas, allowing other plants to establish themselves sheltered by their branches. With a relatively short lifespan of 10 to 15 years, cistus then make way for taller shrubs that deprive them of sunlight.