RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

RHS Threatened Plant of the Year

Plant Heritage, the plant conservation charity, celebrates its 45th year with a special display at RHS Hampton Court where the finalists for the Threatened Plant of the Year competition are displayed and the winner was announced

About the competition

Plants can be lost to pests and diseases, climate change, changes in plant trade or simply by falling out of fashion. Plant Heritage works to protect rare and endangered plants through National Collections, Plant Guardians and Plant Exchange, as well as the Threatened Plant Programme.

Each year gardeners are asked to nominate unusual, rare or special cultivars that are not currently available commercially and may be in danger of disappearing altogether. The finalists are judged and a winner announced at RHS Hampton Court.

To find out more, visit the Plant Heritage website.
 

Winner of the RHS Threatened Plant of the Year 2023

Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Contorta’

Originally from Japan and first imported into the USA in 1929 as the cultivar ‘Rinho’ is one of only two surviving Chaenomeles cultivars in the UK to have tortuous branches. It flowers early with pink-tinged white blooms, from early February until late March.

This is currently one of only four plants still known to exist in the UK.

People’s Choice

You can vote for your favourite plant from the shortlist, on the Plant Heritage site.

Voting closes 9 July.

To find out more, visit the Plant Heritage website.
 

Shortlisted for 2023

Dianthus ‘Joan Schofield’

Dianthus ‘Joan Schofield’

Begonia ‘Lettonica’

Begonia ‘Lettonica’

Narcissus romieuxii ‘Julia Jane’

Narcissus romieuxii ‘Julia Jane’

Iris ‘Amanda Jane’

Iris ‘Amanda Jane’

Narcissus ‘Hever’

Narcissus ‘Hever’

Tradescantia ‘Quadricolor’

Tradescantia ‘Quadricolor’

Rhododendron ‘The Dowager’

Rhododendron ‘The Dowager’

Penstemon ‘Axe Valley Penny Mitchell’

Penstemon ‘Axe Valley Penny Mitchell’

Salvia ‘Rodbaston Breeze’

Salvia ‘Rodbaston Breeze’

Arum italicum subsp. neglectum ‘Miss Janay Hall’

Arum italicum subsp. neglectum ‘Miss Janay Hall’

Hemerocallis ‘Banbury Copper’

Hemerocallis ‘Banbury Copper’

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Winner of the Plant of the Year 2022

x Semponium 'Destiny'

Bred by Daniel Michael and exhibited by Surreal Succulents, x Semponium 'Destiny' is a cross between an Aeonium and Sempervivum. This selection has been bred to be hardy to -2 degrees C.

It has a rich and deep purple colour, intense in tone in summer and good in winter. It is unique in being drought tolerant. The plant exhibits vigorous growth, growing all year round, reaching maturity at 40 x 40cm in three years. The leaves have a veiny texture. A good architectural plant to add interest to the garden all year around.

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.