Rock Rose, Crimson Spot (Cistus ladanifer) 9 inch potted shrub, Organic

Family: Rock-Rose (Cistaceae)

Hardy to Zones 7 to 11

(Rockrose) Bushy evergreen woody perennial to 5 feet tall, native to the Mediterranean basin, flowers oversize, white, with a dark red basal spot.  This is the main official species, the leaves shellacked with fragrant resin known as labdanum, a hash-like herbal and cosmetic ingredient.  This valuable substance was originally collected from the beards and thighs of goats and sheep browsing on the rock roses, or harvested from the plants with a special mop-like leathern tool known as a ladanisterion.  The essence can also be concentrated by harvesting the branches and boiling them down.  In practical terms, the leaves may be dried and tinctured.    Traditional uses (TWM) of dried leaves or labdanum: tea for treating infections and gastrointestinal woes, imparts the essence of amber and musk to perfumes and essential oils.  The plant has also been recommended for treating Lyme and lyme coinfections, purportedly capable of breaking down the biofilm that bonds bacterial clusters.  Plant prefers dry, sandy or rocky soils in the full sun. Space plants 6 feet apart.

Potted shrub, certified organically grown