CISTUS ALBIDUS: HABITAT, PROPERTIES, CARE, DISEASES - BIOLOGY - 2025

The Cistus albidus, commonly known as white cistus, is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Cistus. It is a shrub that has a relevant melliferous importance because its stamens originate a large amount of pollen, which is quite attractive for insects such as bees.

This cystacea is native to North Africa and southwestern Europe. It is easily found on sunny slopes and on hills, preferring calcareous and dry soils.

Cistus albidus. Source: Júlio Reis

The white rockrose has a peculiarity, since in its roots a parasitic plant is born and grows, which has very showy flowers known as crimson hypocystis or Cytinus ruber.

Description

Habit

The white rockrose is an upright shrub that can reach heights of 40, 100 or up to 150 cm. It has a greyish bark and twigs with star-shaped hairs and sometimes with simple hairs at their nodes.

Cistus albidus plant.

Source: Photo: Christian Ferrer / Wikimedia Commons

Leaves

With respect to its leaves, they are similar to those of the rest of the cysts and are 15-65 mm long by 5-25 mm wide.

These leaves lack a union with the petiole or the stem, therefore they are sessile. They are elliptical, oval - lanceolate or ovate - oblong. They are almost always flat and have a rounded apex, with the margin itself rolled up.

Regarding its surface, it is provided with totally dense stellate hairs. Its upper face or upper side also has simple hairs and its underside or lower face has 3 to 5 anastomosed nerves.

Leaves of Cistus albidus. Source: Weitbrecht

Inflorescence

The inflorescence is terminal cimosa type, therefore, the flowers can originate at the ends of each main stem. They are found between 3 to 8 flowers, without bracts and with pedicels of 5 to 30 mm.

flowers

These rockrose are very striking for the color of their flowers, and can be found from pink to purple. In some cases albino plants are obtained.

Cistus albidus.

Source: A. Barra

Regarding their structure, they have 5 sepals 9–18 mm long by 7–14 mm wide, mostly ovate and sometimes ovate-lanceolate, more or less acuminate. And pink to purple petals, 15–30 mm long by 15-20 mm wide.

However, its stamens are unequal, its ovary sericeous vile and its style occurs at the height of the stamens.

Fruit

It is capsule type. They are sizes between 7 to 13 mm, ovoid in shape, which opens spontaneously to disperse either the seeds or the pollen.

Seeds

Numerous yellowish seeds can be found in the capsules, with sizes ranging between 1 and 1.5 mm.

Fruit and seeds of Cistus albidus. Source: Muséum de Toulouse

Taxonomy

The white rockrose is also known as white jagz, white rockrose, steppe rockrose, white bocha, steppe, white steppe, jarilla, rosewood.

While, the taxonomic classification for this species is as follows:

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Malvales

Family: Cistaceae

Genus: Cistus

Species: Cistus albidus L.

It is important to highlight that Cistus albidus presents the interspecific taxon Cistus albidus var. to nthyllidetorum O. Bolos & Vigo.

Habitat and distribution

The Cistus albidus is indigenous to the Mediterranean. It is found at altitudes ranging from sea level to approximately 1,400 m. It is very common to find it forming part of bushes or in degraded soils, sharing the space with kermes oak, rosemary, mastic, gorse, among others.

Cistus plant. Source: © William Crochot / Wikimedia Commons

Regarding its distribution, the white rockrose is reported in Spain, Gibraltar, Portugal, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, France, Italy, Algeria, Morocco and Sardinia.

Properties

The white rockrose is known to have the following properties:

- Antifungal

- Digestive

- Appetizer

- Astringent

- Antiviral

- Analgesic

- Anti-inflammatory

- Purifying

- Antiseptic

- Circulatory

- Antitumor

- Anticoagulant

- Vulnerary

Active principles

Various studies carried out on the Cistus albidus species have reported the following components:

- Flavonoids

- Cathechic tannins

- Prodelphinidins

- Proanthocyanidins

- Alpha-zingibereno

- Betacariophylene

- Alpha-curcumene

- Alpha-cadinol

- Caryophyllene oxide

- Alo-aromadendrene

- Delta – cadinene

- D-germacreno

Health benefits

Due to its properties, white rockrose has the following benefits:

- This plant helps to eliminate all that toxin that is in the body.

- Serves to promote relaxation and calm, as well as to treat stress, panic and anxiety.

- Its flower is widely used in gastric treatments, especially for stomach pain and diarrhea control.

- Its polyphenols are used for skin care, due to its anti-aging effect.

- It is commonly used in the treatment of colds.

- Sometimes it is used to promote the menstrual cycle, due to its emmenagogue effect.

- Due to its antifungal properties, it helps fight fungal infections such as Candida albicans or mycosis.

- It is a plant recommended for people who have quit smoking, as it helps them eliminate those heavy metals acquired from cigarette smoke and that are toxic to health. Likewise, it is used to eliminate heavy metals acquired from environmental pollution.

- Thanks to its anticoagulant property, white rockrose is used to prevent skin bleeding. This is done by applying the plant directly to the bleeding area.

- As for its seeds, these are edible, so they are widely used as food.

Parts used

The parts that are used are the petals and the leaves.

Leaves and flower of Cistus albidus. Source: CT Johansson

Care

When growing the white rockrose it is important to take into account the following:

Temperature

When it comes to light, it is preferable to place the plant in well-lit places, usually in full sun.

Floor

They develop easily in sandy and permeable soils, preferably limestone. However, it tolerates neutral and somewhat acidic soils. It does not tolerate excess humidity. It is able to withstand saline soils.

Irrigation

Regarding irrigation, it is most appropriate to do it when the rains are scarce or non-existent, since they are plants resistant to droughts. A weekly watering should be attempted in the summer and a bi-monthly one during the winter.

Pruning

If you want to keep the shape of the plant, the ideal is to cut all the old branches in the spring.

In the case of wanting to lengthen the flowering stage, it is important to remove the withered bouquets and water the plant only if the rain stops at the end of spring.

Transplant

To avoid its stress and subsequent damage, it is necessary to select well the place where this species is going to be planted, since it does not withstand sudden transplants.

Multiplication

To multiply the plant, you can apply the semi-woody cuttings technique (in summer), or the seed technique in the fall.

By using the seed technique, blanching can be done at 100 ° C, but leaving them for several hours in the same container, so that they cool. However, the seeds can also be used without prior treatment. In both ways it favors germination.

The indicated thing to preserve the seeds, is to keep them in a cold and dry place. In the case of cold rooms, the ideal is 2 to 4 ° C, with a humidity of less than 10%.

Diseases

Cistus albidus is a very disease resistant shrub. However, it is occasionally attacked by gray mold or gray rot.

Pathogenic agent

Gray mold is caused by the species Botrytis cinerea Pers., 1801 belonging to the Sclerotiniaceae family.

Botrytis cinerea.

Source: Ninjatacoshell

Symptoms

The petals begin to show gray and white spots, which are causing desiccation in the tissue. On many occasions, these spots are often confused with the deterioration of the flower when it occurs naturally. However, in this case the petals are affected at the same time.

This fungus mainly attacks the flowers of this species for its sensitivity and delicacy. However, it can also affect other organs of the bush.

Mode of infection

Botrytis cinerea spores penetrate the interior of the plant through any wound that exists in it, caused either naturally, by insect bites or pruning. When the fungus enters, it germinates when the right conditions for it are presented.

Necrosis, mold or rot begins to develop the moment the fungus is activated. It is very common to observe the gray mycelium covering the leaves of the plant. It is important to bear in mind that this fungus is very aggressive in young plants.

Causes

This fungus occurs mostly in spring and autumn, as it requires temperatures that range between 15 to 25 ° C, with high humidity.

The repeated rains or the constant humidity of the soil, favor this fungus.

Control

- It is necessary to destroy or remove the plant material that shows the symptoms.

- Monitor irrigation so as not to exceed the amount of water required by the crop.

- Try to avoid humidity, being for this important that the plants are well located and have enough space between them, that they have good light and adequate air circulation.

- It is important to try to use clean tools when pruning. In the case of pruning a plant with symptoms of gray mold, it is necessary to disinfect the tools using alcohol.

- Chemical products such as botriticides can also be used.

References

1. Barrebo J., Barrebo U. 2004. Distribution of Cistus albidus L. in the Omecillo Basin, in Valderejo and in Sobrón (Álava-Burgos). Munibe (Natural Sciences) (54): 141-148
2. Blasco J. 2015. Cistus albidus L. In: Flora de pina de ebro and its region. Cistaceae family. Taken from: monteriza.com
3. Bolaños M. and Guinea E. 1949. Jarales y Jaras (Hispanic cystography). Ministry of Agriculture, Forest Research and Experiences Institute. N ° 49
4. Catalog of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist. 2019. Cistus albidus. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
5. Fernández M. and Vargas P. 2018. Speciation in the genus Cistus. Royal Botanical Garden (RJB-CSIC). Chapter 2. page 7.