Cistus are evergreen shrubs with simple, opposite leaves and 5-petalled, bowl-shaped, white, pink or purplish flowers, each lasting a single day, over a long period in summer
C. ladanifer is an evergreen shrub of loose, open habit with very sticky, narrow, aromatic leaves, dark green above, grey beneath. Flowers to 10cm in width, white with a deep red blotch at the base of each petal