Introduction & History

Souvenir de la Malmaison is one of the most celebrated roses in history, a living tribute to the legendary garden of Empress Josephine at the Chateau de Malmaison outside Paris. Bred by Beluze and introduced in 1843, it was named in honour of Josephine's passion for roses, although she had died nearly three decades before its creation. The rose lives up to its illustrious name: the blooms are large, flat, and exquisitely quartered in blush pink fading to creamy white, with a silky texture and a spicy fragrance that is unmistakable. Few roses possess such a refined and aristocratic bearing. In fine weather, Souvenir de la Malmaison is arguably the most beautiful of all old roses, its great, flat, perfectly symmetrical flowers recalling the roses painted by Redoute for Josephine's famous folio. Yet it demands understanding from the gardener: the extremely full blooms are vulnerable to balling in wet weather, refusing to open and browning at the edges. In the right climate, however, no rose surpasses it for sheer elegance and historical resonance.

Breeding History

Souvenir de la Malmaison was raised by Jean Beluze of Lyon and introduced in 1843. It is a Bourbon rose, the class that originated from a natural hybrid between Old Blush China and Autumn Damask on the Ile de Bourbon. Its exact parentage is debated, but it is thought to be a seedling of 'Madame Desprez', another Bourbon. A climbing sport, 'Climbing Souvenir de la Malmaison', was discovered by Bennett in 1893 and remains popular for warm walls. The name was proposed by a visiting Grand Duke of Russia who saw the rose growing in Beluze's nursery and suggested it be named for the Empress Josephine's famous rose garden at Malmaison. It has remained one of the most famous and beloved roses in the world ever since.

Flower Form & Fragrance

The flowers are large, 10-13 cm across, very double with 60-80 petals, opening flat and perfectly quartered in a shallow bowl shape that is considered one of the most beautiful bloom forms in all of rosedom. The colour is a delicate blush pink, almost white at the edges, deepening slightly toward the centre with flesh-pink tones. In cool weather, the pink is more pronounced; in heat, it fades to near white. The fragrance is rich and complex, blending spicy tea-rose notes with sweet damask undertones and a hint of vanilla. It is strong and carrying, ranking among the most distinctive rose scents.

Garden Design & Uses

Souvenir de la Malmaison is best sited where it is sheltered from rain and wind to protect the susceptible blooms. Against a warm, south-facing wall is ideal, especially the climbing form. It excels in formal parterre gardens, raised beds, and courtyard settings where its aristocratic blooms can be admired up close. In dry climates such as California, the Mediterranean, or inland Australia, it reaches its full potential as a garden shrub. Pair it with soft-coloured companions: white foxgloves, pale delphiniums, silver artemisias, and lavender. It makes a stunning specimen in a large terracotta pot on a sheltered terrace.

Growth Habit & Hardiness

The bush form grows 90-120 cm tall and 60-90 cm wide, forming a compact, somewhat spreading shrub with moderate vigour. Canes are moderately thorny with smooth, medium-green foliage. Growth is not excessively vigorous, and the plant can appear somewhat sparse in cool climates. The climbing sport reaches 300-400 cm and is more generous in bloom when given the warmth of a wall. The bush form branches adequately but benefits from formative pruning to maintain a balanced shape. New basal shoots are produced moderately.

Climate & Hardiness

Hardy in USDA zones 6-9, tolerating winter temperatures to approximately -20°C with protection. Performs spectacularly in warm, dry climates where the full blooms can open without rain damage. In humid, rainy climates (such as much of Britain or the Pacific Northwest), the tightly packed petals frequently ball and fail to open, causing significant frustration. For this reason, many rosarians in wet climates grow the climbing form against a wall with an overhanging eave for rain protection. Heat tolerance is good in dry heat; humid heat can promote mildew.

Seasonal Care Calendar

Planting & Container Growing

Plant in fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost and well-rotted manure. The ideal pH is 6.0-6.8. Choose a warm, sheltered position with excellent air circulation and, ideally, some rain protection from above. Space bush forms 80-100 cm apart. For the climbing form, allow 200-250 cm of wall space. Set the bud union below soil level in cold climates. Mulch well but keep mulch away from the stem base to reduce moisture-related disease.

Container Growing

Souvenir de la Malmaison is actually one of the better old roses for container growing, as pots can be positioned under cover to protect the blooms from rain. Use a 40-50 litre container with loam-based compost and good drainage. A sheltered terrace or covered patio is ideal. Feed fortnightly from April through August. Water at the base, never over the blooms. This strategy solves the balling problem elegantly for gardeners in wet climates. Feasibility rating: 7/10.

Seasonal Care & Pruning

Spring: Prune moderately in early spring, removing dead and weak wood and shortening strong canes by one-quarter to one-third. Apply granular rose food and fresh mulch. Begin fungicide programme. Summer: Deadhead promptly, removing balled flowers before they rot. Water at the base during dry spells. Feed after each flowering flush. Monitor for mildew in humid conditions. Autumn: Stop feeding by September. Clean up all fallen petals and leaves. Assess the plant's shape for winter. Winter: In zones 6-7, provide winter protection by mounding and wrapping. In milder zones, no special protection is needed beyond mulching.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1) Planting in an exposed, rainy location where balling ruins most of the blooms. 2) Overwatering or overhead irrigation that saturates the tightly packed petals. 3) Failing to remove balled flowers promptly, which can lead to botrytis infection spreading to new buds. 4) Hard pruning that removes too much flowering wood from the modest bush. 5) Expecting the same performance in wet British summers as in warm Mediterranean climates.

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings taken in midsummer, selecting healthy, non-flowering shoots of about 15 cm. Treat with rooting hormone and insert into a free-draining propagating mix. Rooting takes 4-8 weeks with moderate success (40-55%). The climbing form can also be layered by pegging a low cane to the ground in spring and severing the rooted layer the following year. Commercial plants are typically budded onto Rosa canina rootstock. Difficulty: moderate to challenging (6/10).

Diseases & Pests

Blackspot is a significant concern in humid climates, requiring a consistent preventive spray programme. Powdery mildew can be troublesome, especially on the climbing form against a dry wall. Botrytis (grey mould) is the particular nemesis of this variety, attacking balled flowers in wet weather and spreading to adjacent buds. Aphids target new growth in spring. Red spider mites may appear in hot, dry conditions on wall-trained plants. Overall, the variety demands more disease management than many old roses, but the reward of perfect blooms justifies the effort.

Cut Flowers & Exhibition

When the blooms open perfectly, Souvenir de la Malmaison is one of the most beautiful cut roses in existence. Cut stems when flowers are three-quarters open on a dry morning. Handle gently, as the large, full blooms are delicate. Place immediately in cool water with preservative. Vase life is 4-6 days. The flat, quartered blooms create breathtaking arrangements reminiscent of old Dutch floral paintings.

Collector & Exhibition Notes

Souvenir de la Malmaison is one of the most important roses in any heritage collection, essential for Bourbon class representation. Exhibiting it successfully requires timing and weather luck: perfect blooms are show-stoppers that sweep old rose classes, but balled flowers are useless. Experienced exhibitors select blooms that have opened in dry weather, cut them the evening before a show, and refrigerate them overnight. The climbing form often produces superior individual blooms for exhibition due to the additional warmth from a wall.

Comparison with Similar Roses

Compared to 'Louise Odier', Souvenir de la Malmaison has larger, flatter, more refined blooms but is far more weather-sensitive. Against 'Boule de Neige', a white Bourbon, Malmaison is larger-flowered with a more complex fragrance but less rain-resistant. Versus the Tea rose 'Devoniensis', which shares the blush colouring and tea fragrance, Malmaison has a fuller, more quartered bloom form but is less heat-tolerant in extreme climates.

Heritage & Conservation

Souvenir de la Malmaison has been in continuous cultivation since 1843 and is preserved in every major rose collection worldwide. Both the bush and climbing forms are commercially available from specialist and mainstream nurseries. It is one of the most popular old roses in commerce and faces no conservation risk. Its status as perhaps the most famous old garden rose ensures perpetual interest and propagation.

Cultural Significance

Souvenir de la Malmaison is among the most culturally significant roses in history, forever linked to the legend of Empress Josephine and her passion for roses at Malmaison. Although Josephine never saw it, the rose embodies the aesthetic she championed: old-fashioned beauty, lush fragrance, and aristocratic refinement. It has been celebrated by writers from Vita Sackville-West to Graham Stuart Thomas and remains a symbol of the golden age of rose breeding. Its name alone evokes two centuries of garden romance.

Frequently Asked Questions