Rhododendron Souvenir de J. Broughton

Rhododendron ‘Souvenir de J. Broughton’ is a horticultural hybrid of fine stature, with evergreen foliage, prized for its spring clusters of bright pink blossom and its regular vegetation. This hardy and very dense variety creates a beautiful flowering screen at the back of an acidic soil bed. It also adapts well to cultivation in large containers. It is a bush for partial shade and acidic, moist soil.

Belonging to the family Ericaceae, this rhododendron is a large-flowered hybrid. It is sometimes spelled ‘Souvenir de J.Broughton’. This cultivar is among the first great British rhododendrons of the 19th century associated with the Broughton/Highclere line, selected for their increased resistance to harsh winters.
Its habit is bushy, rounded and dense from the base; its growth is fairly rapid for the genus. At 10 years, in open ground, it reaches 1.50 m to 1.70 m in height with a spread of about 1.20 m; in a container, its dimensions remain more modest. The glossy dark green, evergreen leaves are leathery, elliptical and measure 10 to 15 cm long. The hardiness of this rhododendron is rated at −17 °C in suitable soil for a well-established plant.
Flowering takes place from April to May. The inflorescences are large terminal clusters composed of funnel-shaped corollas; the dominant colour is a bright pink, lighter in the centre, with a darker pit in the throat.

Rhododendron ‘Souvenir de J. Broughton’ can be used as a standalone specimen, in a hedge or in a bed, in the company of other ericaceous plants. It can be paired with Chinese azaleas, whose warm tones it complements and tempers, with star magnolias, mountain laurels (Kalmia), red Japanese maples… In a large garden, it could even form a majestic hedge along a grand avenue, alongside other large rhododendrons.