Cistus x purpureus - Inland Valley Garden Planner

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Description

This colorful rockrose cultivar grows into a medium to large size mounding shrub, 3-5 ft. tall and 5-8 ft. wide. Long leaves are dark green green on top and pale green below. Large flowers grow 2-3 in. in diameter during spring and are deep orchid-purple with a distinctive crimson-purple spot at the base of each petal.

Orchid rockrose is a tough and attractive plant that provides handsome foliage character and a bold springtime flowering season. It is a consistent garden performer in Inland Empire gardens on slopes and banks, in background areas and for casual hedges and borders. It is well adapted to sun, heat, low summer moisture and a variety of soil conditions. Mature plants can be clipped to achieve uniform shape and hedge-type growth.

Water Needs

The orchid rockrose is highly adapted to warm and sunny climate conditions across the Inland Empire. Established plants grow well with periodic deep irrigation in the summer. The chart shown below provides a recommended baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth throughout the average year. It should be noted there are several months marked by an asterisk (*) when winter rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. The high and low range of moisture indicates it can grow with varying amounts of water; more supplemental water commonly results in a longer flowering season and larger sizes.

Irrigation Schedule and Graph

Low Water Use Plants

Irrigation Schedule 2

	Jan*	Feb*	Mar*	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov*	Dec*
Runs per Month	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x
Inches per Run	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"

Inches per Month	0" to 2"	0" to 2"	0" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	0" to 2"	0" to 2"

Range of supplemental summer water: 7"-14"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-10"

0"-2"

1"-2"

0"-2"

Jan*

Feb*

Mar*

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov*

Dec*

For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, click here.

Plant Properties

Plant Type: Shrub
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Mounding
Growth Rate: Moderate
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft.
Width: 5 ft. - 8 ft.
Water Needs: Low 2
Foliage Color: Dark green
Flower Color: Magenta
Flower Season: Summer, Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Rocky soil
Exposure Adaptations: Wind, Heat, Drought, Coastal salt air, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Slopes, Rock gardens, Residential spaces, Raised planters, Parks and open space, Grouped, Foundations, Foliage accent plant, Flowering accent plant, Commercial spaces, Borders, Banks, Background plant, Hedge