Seasonal Wild Flowers

Common Rock-rose

Helianthemum nummularium

Cistaceae

May to September

It is found mainly in northern and southern areas, and is

patchy elsewhere.

See the BSBI distribution map for Common Rock-rose

It grows mainly on short grassland on chalk and

limestone.

It also grows as an undershrub.

Common Rock-rose is a native, mainly prostrate herb and

sometimes an undershrub.

Flowers are up to 2cm across with 5 sulphur-yellow petals.

The sepals are ovate and conspicuously veined.

Leaves are oblong at the base and broadly lanceolate at

the top.

They are dark green, fleshy, recurved and light grey

round the edges and on the undersides. They should have

small stipules.

The identification of common rock-rose rather difficult.

It grows in the same habitat as hoary rock-rose, and

looks rather similar. The main difference is the presence

or absence of stipules on the leaves.

Previous page: Common Nettle
Next page: Common Sorrel

Common Rock-rose on limestone turf

On thin limestone soil, Silverdale

Individual flower

Veined sepals

Leaves in grassland in June

Upper leaves with grey undersides