Cistus × purpureus (orchid rockrose, purple rockrose) is a natural hybrid between Cistus ladanifer and Cistus creticus, found around the Mediterranean and widely grown in gardens. It is an evergreen shrub reaching about 1 to 1.5 m in height and a little more in spread, with a rounded, bushy habit. The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, dark green and slightly wrinkled, often with a grey-green cast and a faintly aromatic, resinous scent.
The flowers are the main attraction: large, up to 6 or 7 cm across, rich magenta-pink with a distinctive dark maroon blotch at the base of each crinkled petal and a central boss of yellow stamens. They appear from late spring through early summer, each lasting only a day, but plentifully replaced over several weeks. Bees love them.
It needs full sun and poor to moderately fertile, very well-drained soil, and thrives in dry, hot, even stony conditions, including coastal sites. It is hardy to about -8 to -10 °C (roughly zone 8 to 9), so in colder or wetter climates it benefits from a sheltered position or winter protection. It resents hard pruning into old wood, so trim lightly after flowering, and it is short-lived, usually needing replacement after 10 to 15 years. It is a good choice for rock gardens, gravel gardens, banks and Mediterranean-style borders, and it is quite drought tolerant once established.