natural herbs
Rock Rose
Cistus salviifolius
Herb: Rock Rose
Latin name: Cistus salviifolius
Family: Cistaceae (Rock-rose Family)
Edible parts of Rock Rose:
The dried leaves are used as an adulterant for marjoram (Origanum majorana).Description of the plant:
Plant:
EvergreenShrub
Height:
60 cm(2 feet)
Flowering:
JuneHabitat of the herb:
Dry woods, thickets and banks, often on acid soils and on limestone, from sea level to 1200 metres in the Alpes Maritimes.Other uses of Rock Rose:
A good ground cover plant for the milder areas of Britain. The form "Prostratus" has been recommended.Propagation of the herb:
Seed - gather when ripe and store dry. Surface sow in late winter in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 4 weeks at 20°C. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle into individual pots. Grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out the in the following spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed stores for at least 3 years. Cuttings of softish to half-ripe wood, 8cm long with a heel or at a node, June/August in a frame. Roots are formed within 3 weeks. High percentage. Cuttings of almost mature wood, 8 - 12cm with a heel or at a node, September/October in a frame. High percentage. Lift and pot up in the spring, plant out when a good root system has formed. Layering in spring.Cultivation of Rock Rose:
Dry woods, thickets and banks, often on acid soils and on limestone, from sea level to 1200 metres in the Alpes Maritimes.Medicinal use of the herb:
None knownKnown hazards of Cistus salviifolius:
None knownPlant information taken from the Plants For A Future.