Souvenir de la Malmaison

Souvenir de la Malmaison 

Souvenir de la Malmaison or Queen of beauty and fragrance was created by Beluze in 1850.

Her parentage wasn't entirely known. They said it was Mme Desprez X an unknown Tea rose. Today's DNA research has proven that Souvenir de la Malmaison is very closely related to the Tea Safrano. In any case it's very clear this is a rose with Tea, China, Noisette genes.

Admired all over the world and regarded as one of the most beautiful roses ever created this rose can make you extremely happy and proud or she can horrify you in wet springs and summers.

Her blooms are typically Tea/Noisette shaped. Flat quartered rosettes in this flesh pink color. If she is more pink than flesh pink you don't have Souvenir de la malmaison. It's a blush of pink, nothing more. Her petals are very thin and silky, almost translucent and this is what causes her biggest flaw: She's very susceptible to rain. The outer petals of the opening buds turn soft and when the sun comes out they dry and turn hard which results in a hard brown shell making it impossible for the rose to open. They rot on the shrub. For this reason I have never bought this rose 😢. Summers in Flanders Belgium were rather sombre and wet in the nineties and that's only beginning to change the past decade..

Today, with my collection of climbing teas/Noisettes it would only seem fair to try her. So I bought two and they will grow in pots in a very dry hot spot.

Although she's labeled as a Bourbon Souvenir de la Malmaison is rather small as a shrub. She'll reach a maximum of 100 cm so 1 meter. One of her biggest assets is her reblooming ability. She's extremely prolific and is seldom without blooms in good summers. There is a climbing sport of souvenir de la malmaison but it isn't as reblooming as the shrub parent so remember that when you choose her.

Pruning is very easy: SHE HATES PRUNING SO DON'T. Only remove dead, diseased and very thin, weak growth in March. Also deadheading is allowed but not too deep! Her blooming power is in symbiosis with her foliage and canes. So don't prune to make her smaller.

One item we haven't yet discussed is her fragrance: Some say she's incredibly fragrant with strong apple/Tea notes. Others however smell little. I have never smelled her so I can't judge. The only thing I can say is that she's likely to smell at her best during hot dry days in May and June. Coming May I probably can tell you how she smells to me.

Position is easy: Full sun all the way and rather secluded.

If you keep in mind these guidelines and you live in a not too wet summer climate you should definitely try her because at her best she's indeed the Queen of beauty and fragrance!