Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius)

Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius) is a shrub that can grow 50cm – 1.5m tall and 50cm – 1.5m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius).

This plant is commonly known as common gum cistus.

This is a evergreen plant that takes 5-10 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: common gum cistus
Scientific name: Cistus × cyprius
Plant type: Shrubs
Habit: Bushy
Height: 50cm – 1.5m
Spread: 50cm – 1.5m
Foliage: Evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: City & Courtyard Gardens, Informal Garden, Mediterranean Garden
Planting type: Ground Cover, Low Maintenance
Other characteristics: Drought resistant, RHS Award of Garden Merit

Seasonal colors

How to plant Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius) – Magnus Manske, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Shrubs are fundamental elements in any garden.

They add color and interest throughout the seasons with their wide variety of flowers, foliage, fruits, trunks and stems.

Whatever the size or style of your garden, the permanent woody structure or the foliage of evergreen shrubs will give the space shape and dimension.

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius) is a plant that adapts to all types of soils, chalk, clay, loam or sand.

• The chalky soil is pale and contains chunks of calcium-rich rock. It is a fertile and well-draining soil, almost always alkaline.

• Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Cistus × cyprius likes to grow in well drained soil.

Sunlight

Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius) should be grown in full sun places.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Common gum cistus (Cistus × cyprius) – Magnus Manske, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons