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Cistus ladanifer ssp. mauritianus 'Bennett's White' (Giant White Rockrose) - A dense sturdy shrub that grows to 4 to 6 feet by as wide with cinnamon-colored stems holding leathery leaves that are a bright green above and gray green below. In late spring and early summer appear the huge 3- to 4-inch-wide white flowers with crape paper like petals and dark yellow stamens in the center. The flowers open and then drop daily. Many rightfully comment that the flowers of this cultivar remind them of those of the Matilija Poppy, Romneya coulteri.
Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate infrequently to not at all. It is hardy to about 20 degrees F. A good tough drought tolerant plant for a dry garden or seaside garden and as with other Rockroses, it is resistant to deer predation, tolerates heat, poor soil and its flowers are attractive to butterflies.
Cistus ladanifer var. petiolatus is the botanical name under which 'Bennett's White' is usually marketed as a cultivar of but current treatment considers this species to be a synonym of Cistus ladanifer subspecies mauritianus, which grows naturally from Spain on the European continent south into Algeria and Morocco in North Africa. The name Cistus is from the Greek word 'kistos' which was the name originally used to describe the plant in ancient Greece. The specific epithet 'ladanifer' given to this plant by Linnaeus literally means "bearing of ladanum" - for more information about the reason for this name see our listing of Cistus ladanifer. We also grow the similar but taller and more open Cistus ladanifer 'Blanche'.
This information about Cistus ladanifer ssp. mauritianus 'Bennett's White' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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