Bay leaf rockrose (Cistus laurifolius)

Cistus laurifolius

In other articles we were talking about the white rockrose and their care. Today we are going to talk about a plant that belongs to the same Cistaceae family. Is about the bay leaf rockrose. Its scientific name is Cistus laurifolius and it is a small bushy shrub with leaves that resemble those of the laurel, although they are generally smaller. It also has other common names such as bordial, steppe and royal steppe. This plant has many characteristics that we are going to tell you about in this article.

So, if you want to know more about the bay leaf rockrose, you have to keep reading because we will tell you everything 🙂

Key features

Cistus laurifolius shrub

As we have said before, it is a bushy shrub that has multiple stems open from the base. If it grows in optimal conditions, it can grow up to two meters in height. The normal thing in all these bushes is that it is one meter. It is not very big, but with so many leaves and divisions of the stems it is considered a very dense shrub.

The soils where it is found are acidic, among which it prefers siliceous ones. This shrub is considered a bioindicator of soils with an acid pH. That is, by only being able to survive on land with this pH, as there is a bay leaf rockrose by itself in an area, it is indicating that the area has soil with an acid pH.

And it is a plant that quite abundant in the eastern, southern and central mountains of the Iberian Peninsula. Soils where there is no high pH will naturally have this type of shrub. At a general level, we can find this plant not only on the peninsula, but also throughout the western Mediterranean region.

The distribution area reaches zones of up to 2.000 meters of altitude. It can be found in places at that height such as the Peñón de la Lechera in the Sierra de Baza in Granada. One of the things that stands out the most about this shrub are its flowers. It blooms from May to July and has very pure white petals in which you can see quite abundant long and yellowish stamens. These flowers greatly increase the ornamental value of the laurel leaf rockrose at this time. The fruit it has is a capsule with 5 valves and when it reaches maturity it is in charge of expelling the seed.

Uses of Cistus laurifolius

laurel leaf rockrose flowers

This plant has various uses apart from the ornamental. By having a high concentration in landan, has various medicinal uses. Landanum is a kind of somewhat pasty resin that can be obtained by distilling the plant. It was used mainly to treat hernia and other rheumatic problems.

This was done in the past in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries as some toxicity of this plant was later discovered. Therefore, these medicinal uses are no longer the order of the day.

Another drawback that this plant has if we use it for ornamentation is that it contains a series of substances that inhibit the growth of others that are next to it. For this reason, when we find cistus laurifolius cistus in nature, we can see that biodiversity is low. In places where this plant is found, a clear dominance can be seen due to those substances that prevent other plants from thriving there. It is a way to have evolutionary success, but also to make ecosystems more vulnerable.

If an ecosystem does not have high biodiversity, it is more sensitive to any type of environmental impact. This is because, if some type of impact occurs and the laurel leaf rockrose falls, the ecosystem will lose all its biodiversity or, at least, the vast majority.

Therefore, the only use that currently has the Cistus laurifolius is the ethnobotanist. It is a use to eliminate the unpleasant smell that the leather has in cure when it is being manufactured. This is how the leather is given a new aroma so that it can be sold better. It is also used to add smell to some perfumes.

Cultivation of the rockrose of bay leaves

detail of the flower of the Cistus laurifolius

For those who want to plant this shrub in their garden, we are going to indicate the main guidelines and requirements that they must meet. As we have said before, it is not highly recommended to plant them, since they have substances that will inhibit the growth of others. Therefore, it can be harmful to the biodiversity of our garden.

The cultivation requires a soil with an acidic pH and that is well drained. Like almost the vast majority of plants, the soil must allow water not to be stored and cause ponding. A puddle can directly rot the Cistus laurifolius and finish him off in no time.

If the plant is very exposed to the wind, it is better to put some stakes where they can support. They need an annual maintenance task that has to be done in winter and that is pruning. It is only a sprouting that is made after the months of flowering so that, when it blooms again, they can do it with more quality and showiness.

If the plant becomes old it is better to discard it since the new shoots that are emerging will be attacked by aphids and gray mold. Care for these types of pests must be quick if we do not want to lose our rockrose bushes.

In case you need a transplant, you have to think that they don't always work. If you need to do this, it is best to wait for spring and use the whole root ball. You can also collect the seeds in late winter and plant them in spring or use semi-woody cuttings to multiply this plant.

If you want to have a garden with only one species of plant, this plant is good at inhibiting the growth of the others.

I hope that with these tips you can take good care of the Cistus laurifolius in your garden.


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