Description
Helianthemum – Rock Rose – Sun Rose –
There are about 110 species of short lived, evergreen or semi evergreen sub shrubs or shrubs, in this genus. They occur in alpine meadows or open scrub in North and South America, Aasia, Europe, and Northern Africa, particularly around the Mediterranean. They have hairy, opposite, oblong to linear, silver to gray-green or light to mid green leaves, and are grown for their raceme like cymes of saucer-shaped, 5 petalled, brightly colored flowers, in shades of yellow, orange, red, or pink, with brightly colored stamens which are borne over a long period from late spring to mid summer. Flowers may only open in bright sunlight. They are ideal for a rock garden, a raised bed, or the front of a herbaceous or mixed border, or as ground covers on a sunny bank.
Grow in moderately fertile, well drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun. Keep dry in winter. Cut back after flowering to encourage second flush of blooms.
H. apenninum var. roseum – White Rock Rose – This spreading, loosely mat forming evergreen shrub from Northwestern Italy, grows 18″ tall and 15-24″ wide. From branching stems it carries elliptic-oblong to linear, hairless, mid green leaves, to 1 1/4″ long. From late spring to midsummer it bears few flowered cymes of pink flowers, 1″ across, with conspicuous, deep yellow anthers.
Zones 6-8
