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Cistus Populifolius Major

Bubba RayBubba Ray Posts: 83
in Problem solving

Hi,

Would someone be able to help me please? I bought "Major" a couple of years ago and is great, however it's starting to out grow the position it is currently in and reading on the internet its says not to hard prune as this could kill it and I don't want to move it as it looks great where it is (I'm going to move the plants which are near it instead). Also while trying to find pruning tips its says this is a short lived shrub but doesn't say how short. So how long is short? 

I'm going to take cuttings as well, just in case........

Thanks for looking

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    Hi BR

    I've never met that one but I think cistus generally are a bit like lavender, they don't like being cut back into old wood. The cuttings to start again sounds like a good plan. I don't know how long they usually live but I've never had one for long. 5 years maybe. Other people may do better. I tend to let them get overgrown and straggly from competition so they need a hard trim and goodbyeimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Bubba RayBubba Ray Posts: 83

    Thank you NC,

    I bought this in 2012 so still a couple of years left image

    Gonna take cuttings this year and next year and see how I go.

    Ta

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    I'm sure some people manage them much better than me BRimage

    I'm not a careful gardener. Sometimes I think I'm not a gardener at all. I'd be quite happy sowing seeds, pricking out, dividing up and generally messing about with plants and never touch the garden



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    I have quite a few cistus, they love the open sunny bank I have in my garden. They hate being pruned so I regularly take cuttings in spring, summer and autumn. They are easy to propagate and develop quite quickly if given slightly moister conditions in a nursery bed. Once they are 2yrs old they get moved to their final position in dry sun. They don't last long, about 4-5 yrs, especially if we have a severe winter, which this winter we are forecast to have. As such my young plants will go into the cold frame for winter. They do go leggy, so once they reach that stage I dig them out and replace them with the young plants. So cuttings is really the best way to keep them in good flowering condition. Keep the cuttings compost free draining by adding plenty of grit and a dressing of grit on the top of the compost. If kept relatively warm they root in a few weeks. I let the roots fill the pot before potting on or putting them in the nursery bed so give them time to develop the roots first, you get better plants that way.

  • Bubba RayBubba Ray Posts: 83

    Cheers NC & DM,

    I'll be taking the cuttings either today or this weekend. I've got a little room left on the windowsill and cold frame so will be distributing them about! image

    I've rooted camillia cuttings so fingers crossed for Cistus.

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