ALAN FRADD: Cistus X Purpureus
- Size: Grows to about 3 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide in a rounded, bushy shape.
- Flowers: Produces 3-inch magenta-pink or purple-pink single flowers with dark golden-yellow centers and distinct deep maroon or crimson spots at the base of each petal. Each bloom lasts for only one day, but the plant continuously replaces them from late spring through summer.
- Foliage: Features narrow, aromatic, gray-green to dark green resinous leaves.
- Wildlife Value: Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, and is generally deer-resistant.
- Sunlight: Prefers full sun.
- Soil: Requires well-draining soil (tolerates poor, rocky, sandy, clay, or chalky soils)
- Water: Low water needs once established; avoid overwatering or heavy, wet garden soil, which can cause root rot or shorten the plant's lifespan.
- Hardiness: Hardy in USDA Zones 8 through 11 (tolerating winter temperatures down to about 15–20°F). It also handles coastal salt spray and strong winds well.
Growing Requirements
