Sage-leaved rock rose or Montpelier cistus: how to tell them apart?
Sage-leaved rock rose and Montpelier cistus look alike and are often mixed up. Here is how to tell them apart, feature by feature, with their photos and the details to look for.
⚡ The quick answer
Sage-leaved rock rose
Cistus salviifolius
Montpelier cistus
Cistus monspeliensis
Montpelier cistus has narrow, lanceolate leaves, sticky to the touch, whereas the sage-leaved rock rose has ovate, wrinkled, greyish leaves, recalling those of sage.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, ovate, puckered like sage, greyish green, downy
Narrow, lanceolate, sessile or nearly so, often sticky and aromatic, with three clearly visible longitudinal veins.
🌸 Flowers
White flowers with a yellow centre, crumpled petals
Small white flowers with a yellow centre, numerous
🍎 Fruits
Small brown capsules
Small brown capsules
🪵 Bark
Much-branched woody subshrub, with greyish twigs.
Grey-brown twigs, dense bushy habit
📏 Size
0.3 to 1 m tall
0.5 to 1 m tall
🗺️ Habitat
Garrigue, dry banks, rock gardens, poor soils
Garrigue, dry banks, rock gardens, poor soils
⚠️ Toxicity
No known toxicity.
No known toxicity.
🔎 And from the Montpelier cistus side
Montpelier cistus has narrow, lanceolate leaves that feel sticky to the touch, whereas sage-leaved rock rose has ovate, wrinkled, greyish leaves reminiscent of those of sage.
🌿 Go further
Want to practise spotting these details on real photos? Floraneo offers profiles and quizzes for dozens of look-alike species.
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.