any plant of the dwarf evergreen genus Helianthemum, some species of which are grown as rock-garden plants for their numerous papery yellow or orange flowers; related to the rockrose, which they resemble: family Cistaceae
Also called: Cape primrose
Word origin
New Latin, from Greek hēlios sun + anthemon flower
Examples of 'helianthemum' in a sentence
helianthemum
Everyone loves little trailing rock roses (helianthemum), in paving or spilling over walls.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Sprawling mats of rock roses (helianthemum) need the lank flower stems snipped away in handfuls, with secateurs.
Times, Sunday Times (2018)
There are plenty of shrubs for stony soil; rosemary, lavender, helianthemum and cistus are amongst the best.