Large shrub to over 2 m tall. Leaves lanceolate, stalkless, 3-nerved at the base only, upper surface sticky, lower surface white hairy. Flowers solitary to about 7 cm wide. Sepals 3. Petals white with maroon blotch at the base; summer.
Europe, N Africa
f. latifolius Duveau is occasionally offered and is closely related to this species. It differs in having leaves white hairy below and petals white. [C. palhinhae Ingram].
Many of the hybrids encountered in gardens have C. ladanifer as one of the parents; these include C. ×cyprius (C. ladanifer × C. laurifolius) and C. ×purpureus Lam. (C. ladanifer × C. incanus subsp. creticus), the latter sold as 'Brilliancy' which, according to Alston (1991) was listed by the Victorian Hodgins Nursery catalogue of 1941 as a 'splendid new variety'.
Provides a resin, laudanum, that is used in perfumery.
Source: (1997). Cistaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.