# Hoary Rock-rose (*Cistus creticus*)

The Hoary Rock-rose is a beautiful flower with soft, hairy leaves and bright pink petals. It blooms in sunny places and is loved by bees and butterflies!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas

![Hoary Rock-rose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/00_4288_Kretische_Zistrose_%28Cistus_creticus%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:00_4288_Kretische_Zistrose_%28Cistus_creticus%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Hoary Rock-rose is a bushy evergreen shrub with distinctive grey-green leaves covered in soft hairs. Its delicate, crinkled flowers bloom in shades of pink to purple, often featuring a bright yellow center. These showy blossoms stand out against its fuzzy foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malvales
- **Family:** Cistaceae
- **Genus:** Cistus

## Interesting facts

- Each delicate, crinkled flower lasts only one day, but the plant produces many new blooms!
- Its scientific name, 'Cistus,' comes from the Greek word for 'basket,' hinting at its seed capsule shape.
- Its sticky resin was once collected by combing the beards of goats that browsed the plants!
- The fragrant resin from this plant has been used in perfumes for thousands of years.

## Special abilities

- **Resin Shield:** Hoary Rock-rose can produce a sticky, aromatic resin that protects its leaves from harsh sun and deters hungry animals.
- **Sun-Reflecting Hairs:** Hoary Rock-rose has tiny, soft hairs on its leaves that reflect intense sunlight, helping it conserve water in dry climates.
- **Fire Resilient:** Hoary Rock-rose is adapted to regrow quickly from its base or seeds after wildfires, thriving in fire-prone regions.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 50-150 cm
- **Spread:** 50-150 cm
- **Flower Size:** 4-6 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring_to_early_summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits its vibrant pink flowers
- **Parasitizes:** Cytinus (*Cytinus hypocistis*) — grows as a parasite on its roots

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers unless a grown-up says it's okay!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Hoary Rock-rose?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Hoary Rock-rose?

50-150 cm

### How wide does Hoary Rock-rose spread?

50-150 cm

### How big are the flowers on Hoary Rock-rose?

4-6 cm

### When does Hoary Rock-rose bloom?

Spring_to_early_summer

### Is Hoary Rock-rose edible?

No

### Is Hoary Rock-rose toxic?

None

### What is Hoary Rock-rose's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [El Sereno Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/el-sereno-open-space) — California, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Hoary Rock-rose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hoary-rock-rose)