Souvenir du Docteur Jamain – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL rooted cutting
Heritage collectors and specialist nurseries value Souvenir du Docteur Jamain for its historic pedigree and remontant flowering, giving a reliable second flush that supports premium container and specialty-release programmes. As a climbing, arching Hybrid Perpetual it lends itself to wall-training with discreet support, achieving strong visual height even from 5–7 L production, and performing consistently in cooler regions and exposed sites with good winter and wind tolerance for nationwide supply planning. The richly crimson, cup-shaped, double blooms and strong damask fragrance underpin a clear “selection/specialty” positioning for thematic and collection-led rose ranges. Own-root NEONATAL material offers a stable, regenerating base for nursery beds and container grow-on, aligning well with UK project-led planting where long-term structure and cultivar identity are critical; expect a natural progression from root establishment in year one through substantial structural shoots in year two and full ornamental expression from year three. For growers building historical and dowager ranges, this cultivar provides a predictable, premium bronze grade option within a broader own-root portfolio.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5–7 L dowager collector line – bush-trained, discreetly supported plants in 5–7 L containers, marketed on historical pedigree and dowager show results, suited to selection/specialty benches – target audience/channel: retail/collector
- Wall-trained heritage feature rose – pre-trained, arching plants supplied in 7 L containers ready for wall or fence placement, highlighting height and foliage for thematic rose gardens – target audience/channel: retail/collector
- Fragrance showcase historical series – grouped with other strongly scented heritage cultivars in coordinated 5 L premium pots, focusing on damask fragrance and collector value – target audience/channel: retail/collector
- Remontant colour-focus collection – included in a curated range of repeat-flowering historical roses in 5–7 L, emphasising the second flush and deep crimson tones for show gardens – target audience/channel: retail/collector
- Heritage cut-and-garden concept – plants positioned as dual-purpose garden and occasional cut-flower stock, using solitary, cup-shaped blooms to complement vintage-styled offerings in premium containers – target audience/channel: retail/collector
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Souvenir du Docteur Jamain is a historical Hybrid Perpetual rose marketed as a heritage rose; American Rose Society exhibition name Souvenir du Docteur Jamain, registration status not provided. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by François Lacharme in France around 1865 from ‘Général Jacqueminot’ × ‘Charles Lefebvre’; introduced 1868 via Lacharme’s Lyon rose enterprise with early distribution including Australian outlets. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised in ARS‑affiliated shows as Dowager Rose Queen by several US rose societies between 1999 and 2001, confirming ongoing exhibition value among historical and old garden rose specialists. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Climbing, arching shrub reaching about 160–250 cm high with 100–160 cm spread, sparsely thorned shoots and moderately dense, slightly glossy mid‑green foliage, suitable for wall‑training with discreet structural support. |
| Flower morphology |
Double, cup‑shaped flowers with 26–39 petals, medium diameter around 1.5–2.75 inches, mainly solitary on stems; remontant habit produces an abundant second flush after the main flowering period under suitable management. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep crimson red blooms with silky, velvety finish; RHS 60A outer, 187A inner, with burgundy and purplish tones, colour holding best in shadier positions as strong sun can cause fading or scorching on exposed sites. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long‑lasting, full‑bodied damask fragrance gives notable scent value in garden and cut use; double flowers partly restrict pollinator access, so the variety functions primarily as an ornamental, not a pollinator resource. |
| Hip characteristics |
Forms small numbers of globe‑shaped red hips about 10–15 mm in diameter where flowers are left to set, providing modest seasonal interest rather than a primary production or ornamental objective in most planting schemes. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately –26 to –23 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 4, USDA 5b); moderate overall disease resistance with good powdery mildew resistance, and moderate susceptibility to black spot and rust requiring periodic control. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Performs poorly in heat or prolonged drought, needing regular watering and cooler, preferably lightly shaded aspects; weak self‑cleaning means spent blooms need removal, with overall maintenance described as medium for professionals. |
Souvenir du Docteur Jamain, supplied as own-root pharmaROSA® NEONATAL material, offers historical pedigree, remontant colour and strong fragrance on a stable, regenerating base; please contact us to align capacities and scheduling for your heritage range.
