White rockrose (Cistus albidus)

El albidus cyst It is known by the common name of white steppe or white rockrose. It is very famous for having large flowers, quite showy and fragile. It has petals wrinkled as if they were pieces of paper. This plant is the one that announces the arrival of spring and a greater number of hours of sunshine.

Would you like to know all the characteristics and how the Cistus albidus is cultivated? In this post we will tell you everything.

Key features

The name of the genus Cistus refers to a box or basket because of the shape of its fruits. The whitish villi that covers its leaves is what is called albidus. Its flowers are capable of attracting various insects to which it offers a very special pollen.

Its maximum size it can be between 1 and 1,5 meters high. It prefers high temperatures so it grows perfectly in the western Mediterranean area. It can be found forming part of serial bushes alongside rosemary, mastic, kermes oak and gorse. If it is found in areas that have been burned, it is more likely to proliferate.

As for the soil, it prefers especially limestone soils, although it lives in all types of terrain. In Valencia we can find the most abundant area of ​​white rockrose from the areas closest to the sea up to about 1.400 meters of altitude.

The leaves and stems have been used as a scouring pad to clean pans and dishes. As they are soft and rough, they have also been used as a substitute for tobacco. To do this, their leaves are dried, ground and rolled into the shape of cigars.

The Cistus albidus range covers the entire Western Mediterranean region. We can find it from Portugal to Morocco. Frequently abundant southern the Iberian Peninsula, the Ebro Valley and the Balearic Islands.

As for the color of the plant, it is grayish green. The leaves are long and narrow and lack a petiole. They are impregnated in a sticky substance called labdanum. It is a very fragrant type of resin that gives them a shiny appearance. They can also easily adhere to hands and clothing.

Fruiting of albidus cyst

The white steppe bears fruit for the months of February to June. The flowers can reach about two inches in diameter and be pink to purple in color. They are solitary or can be found forming groups of three or four endings on their branches.

If we analyze it from the point of view of the seeds, since it has a long flowering period, we cannot have a good enough harvest. It is recommended that the phenological characteristics of the plant be studied to have a better idea of ​​the periods. In addition, it is a good idea to deeply study the areas where you intend to collect. In this way, we can condition the place to have optimal yields.

Although it is not used as much today as it used to be, labdanum is used to make cough syrups. It can be made as a liniment diluted between 5 and 10% alcohol.

Cultivation of the white rockrose in gardens

Until recently the albidus cyst it had not been grown in nurseries. The main destination of this plant were gardens and the restoration of critical areas after fires. This plant generates some limitations for the establishment of other species.

The characteristics of this species make its cultivation possible in forest environments. They will have between 200 and 300 cubic centimeters and it will be obtained a size between 10 and 20 centimeters tall. If we want to grow it at home, we will need to sow its seeds. It is advisable to carry out some pregerminative treatments beforehand.

It is widely used in Mediterranean gardens and zero gardening. It has great ornamental value. As mentioned before, it tolerates limestone soils and hot, dry climates well. They are thermophilic plants that need full sun exposure and areas where the accompanying species do not need much watering. Otherwise, there could be some incompatibilities in the culture.

The main ornamental value is due to its flowers. With about five centimeters in diameter and their pink and purple color, they can appear both solitary and in groups of three or four branches. It has a very high rusticity, so it does not usually have problems with pests and diseases. You need a general maintenance subscriber and it is more than enough. In addition, it offers the great advantage that it does not require any type of special pruning.

Pregerminative treatment

As said before, the albidus cyst it needs some pregerminative treatments. These make the probability of success higher. The fruit can be found in an ovoid-shaped capsule with a hairy and silky texture. It measures between 7 and 13 millimeters and is inserted in the calyx, that opens to give five shells full of seeds. The seeds are one millimeter in size. They have a sub-smooth covering on their faces but with thickened and serrated edges. They are brownish in color, slightly yellowish.

Its collection is done just like a milking. When you want to extract the seed, a threshing, screening and winnowing is carried out. It can be obtained a yield of approximately 23,6%. You have to take into account the light of the sieves to use, due to the small size of the seeds. When clean, the white steppe seeds are stored in a cool, dry place.

Among the pregerminative treatments of albidus cystWe recommend those made at 20 degrees, for 21 days and a warm water wash for 24 hours. It can also be done with direct sowing at a maximum of 5 degrees. Because it prefers high temperatures, if it is done at these temperatures, its germination period can take up to 30 days.

Once we have sown the seeds in a substrate, we cover them lightly. The seedlings will reach about 4 centimeters in height as soon as they germinate. As soon as its leaves are true, it can be peeled in a pot in the case in which we do not do direct sowing.

I hope you can enjoy growing white rockrose in your garden or nursery with these tips.