Sunrose
Family: Cistaceae
(Rockrose family)
Genus: Helianthemum
A sunrose
by any other name is…beautiful.
And “sunroses” are in fact known by many other
names. There are quite a few hybrids and cultivars bred for
our gardening pleasure from more than 100 species native to
Mediterranean Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Helianthemum
canadense, commonly called “frostweed,” is one
of fourteen species native to our continent. For many years
it was more popular as a medicinal herb and wildflower than
as a garden ornamental. Now it’s a protected plant in
at least two states—Kentucky and Tennessee—and
its status is monitored in several others. The California native
H. greenei—the island rushrose—enjoys Federal protection,
although that may not be sufficient to save it from being lost,
at least in its wild state. North American native sunroses
are threatened by loss of habitat, to be sure; but they also
fall victim to unrestrained harvest by collectors driven by
the demand for them as herbal remedies and supplements. Responsible
herbalists now cultivate plants grown from seed and mark their
packaging accordingly.
Our
region has no native sunroses—consider the word “sun” and
think of our cold and wet climate—but we can grow cultivated
varieties, mostly from species native to Europe. They’re
perennial subshrubs, although they tend to be relatively short-lived,
thriving for only five years or so before dying out. But what
carefree beauty they provide all through their short lives!
I’ve had them in my garden for years, with decidedly
mixed results—which were entirely my fault. I
tried and tried to grow Helianthemum ‘Henfield Brilliant’ at
the feet of one of my dwarf maiden grasses because I loved
the look of the brick-red flowers against the variegated leaves
of the grass. Every year I planted it, and every year it would
die. After going through this cycle about three times early
in my experience as a Pacific Northwest gardener, I finally
figured out that the growing conditions spelled out for Helianthus are not
optional. I had the right plant for the look I wanted,
but I kept trying to persuade it to grow in the wrong place.
It was in full sun—good to go, there—but the drainage
was poor, it turned out. The setting that suited the grass
did not suit the sunrose at all. No matter how much I wanted
the effect, the plant just wouldn’t cooperate. As Master
Gardeners know, plants seldom go along with our arrangements
unless it suits them to do so. Right
plant, right place: it’s true. And it’s especially
true where sunroses are concerned. They absolutely insist on
full sun and poor soil that drains very well. If you give them
the conditions they want, just stand back. One small start
in a four-inch pot will spread to three feet in just a couple
of seasons. My favorite now is Helianthemum ‘Wisley Pink’,
which has very gray leaves and perky pink flowers with clear
yellow eyes. If you’re looking to find one for yourself,
go with the genus and cultivar name. You may—or may not—find
the species noted on the tag. If it is, it might be appeninum.
Then again, it might not. Tags being what they are, just look
for ‘Wisley’. There’s also a ‘Wisley
White’, which is beautiful in its own right but doesn’t
seem to flower as profusely. So you’ll want to pay attention
to the “pink” part of the name to be sure you
get what you want. Put
your Helianthemum in poor, sandy soil where it won’t
get much water but will get full sun. It will hold its leaves
all year and bloom continuously from early April through June.
Each flower lasts only one day but there are plenty more waiting
in line to show up on stage. You don’t have to deadhead
the blossoms, although you can shear the entire plant lightly
when all the blooms fade.
And
if a carpet of pretty flowers against great-looking foliage
weren’t enough, few weeds make it through Helianthemum.
Pests and fungal diseases pass it by and deer won’t
bother it. Now, who could ask for anything more? |
