Gum rockrose (Cistus ladanifer) is a flowering species of evergreen plant native to the western Mediterranean region. These shrubs grow up to 2.5 meters tall, with broad dark green leaves and white flowers with maroon spots on the petals. The plant and leaves are covered with fine hairs which contain the oleoresin (naturally occuring mixture of plant resin and oil) ‘labdanum’. The leaves and twigs of the plant can be boiled to extract this resin, which is then steam distilled to produce labdanum oil, which is mostly used in soaps and perfumery.

Botanical name: Cistus ladanifer

Other names: Gum rockrose, labdanum, common gum cistus, brown-eyed rockrose

Main constituents: alpha-Pinene, 1,8-Cineole, Camphene, para-Cymene, Linalyl acetate, 2-Methyl-3-methyleneheptan-6-one, Bornyl acetate, Borneol, Fenchone, Linalool