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| Cistus | Common name; Rock Rose |
A hardy flowering shrub with shiny leathery leaves whose flower petals open in the morning, and are shed in the afternoon.
The plants can grow to a height of 1800mm (6ft) or more, and spread to around 1200mm (4ft) and the flowers are up to 50mm (2") across.
These appear in clusters in May and June, and continue to flower for about three months.
Hybrids should be propagated from cuttings, they can also be propagated from seed, but these will not come true to type
Week 10; Collect seed from shrub and sow in pots / trays containing proprietary seed compost.
Place pots/trays in a frost free coldframe to germinate.
Prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle and plant individually into 60mm (2½") pots of potting compost.
Week 18; Plant out in a spot in full sun, but sheltered from easterly winds.
They do well on most soils, but are at their best on poor, well-drained soils.
Week 20; (The following year) Pot up into 100mm (4") pots and grow on in a coldframe till planting out time the following year.
Week 27; Take heel cuttings
Insert the cuttings in equal parts (by volume) peat and sand and maintain a temperature of 16°C (60°F).
When rooted, place the cuttings singly in 75mm (3") pots of potting compost overwinter in a cold frame.
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