Cistus ladanifer

Gum cistus, Gum Cistus

Family: Cistaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Gum cistus is a naturalized shrub found in southern California Coast Ranges, southern Southern California, western Transverse Ranges, and San Gabriel Mountains in disturbed places at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces large white flowers 3 to 5 centimeters wide, often with striking red or yellow markings near the flower base. Growing up to 2.5 meters tall with shiny, sticky stems, the shrub develops an open, spreading form. Its leaves are sessile, lance-linear to narrow-oblong, measuring 3 to 8 centimeters long with three prominent veins extending from the base. The fruit develops with 6 to 12 distinct valve segments, adding structural interest to this distinctive non-native Mediterranean species.

Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed places

Bloom period: Mar-Aug

Elevation: < 800 m

Bioregions: s CCo, s SCo, WTR, SnGb

California counties: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Marin

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.