Rock Rose

Cistus incanus

 harvested in the unspoiled, wild mountain landscape of  Albania

The evergreen Rockrose , Cistus , a member of the Cistaceae familiy, grows naturally on dry, magnesium rich, rocky soils with plenty of sunlight and heat exposure,  in the mountains of Southern Europe's Mediterranean lands.

While botanically not related to roses, it is a highly ornamental shrub, which has earned it a 'plant of the year' award in Europe, in 1999, and it has become a popular landscape plant in Mediterranean climates all over the world.

The leaves and flowers of Cistus are rich in resins and volatile oils, and contain a high concentration of polyphenols, which are antioxidants that neutralize free radicals.

Records of historic use of aromatic Cistus plant products go back as far as 2500 years.

The compounds in Cistus bind themselves selectively on the virus particles and so prevent infection by  blocking the viruses from docking to the body's cells.

This botanical raw material can be used to prepare a tea, or to make an alcohol extract, called tincture.

The traditional tea method it to gently simmer 1 teaspoon of  the herb in water, on low heat, for about 5 minutes.

The quick method is to pour approximately 250 ml boiling water over 1 teaspoon of herb and let steep for 3- 5 minutes.