Halimium alyssoides

Sub-shrub of the Cistaceae family, native to the Iberian Peninsula and southwestern France, where it colonizes siliceous moors, stabilized coastal dunes, dry acidophilous grasslands, and open garrigues, from sea level to modest altitudes.

It forms a low, spreading bush, 20 to 50 cm in height, with woody stems at the base and erect to spreading branches. The leaves are oval to elliptical, dark green on the upper side, covered with a hairy indumentum on both sides. The sepals of the flower buds, a pronounced reddish-brown and densely hairy, form a striking contrast with the bright yellow petals when opened.

The five-petaled flowers are a bright and pure yellow, without a dark basal spot, which immediately distinguishes this species from several other Halimium and Cistus with yellow flowers. They open in full sun and last only a day, but succeed each other abundantly. In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from April to June; in cultivation, it generally occurs in April-May.

A cultivated specimen spontaneously produced a semi-double flower, with the center occupied by additional crumpled and tight petals, resulting from the partial transformation of stamens into petaloid organs. This floral anomaly, extremely rare in the genus, constitutes a quite exceptional observation for this species.

In cultivation, it requires an acidic to neutral, sandy or gravelly soil, perfectly drained, in full sun. Hardy to about -10°C in dry soil, it is suitable for Mediterranean gardens, sandy embankments, and rock gardens on siliceous substrate.