Hello Jonas,

It looks a lot like something in the "Roseum" group of hybrids. I don't know how common those plants might be in Europe, but in the United States these rhododendrons have for a long time been quite widely available.

One problem in identifying a plant from an online picture is that there's nothing much for sure in the picture as to the color, compared to seeing the real plant; cameras differ and so do computer monitors' representations of what the camera saw. Another problem is that the camera's close up shows a bit of a different bloom color than the blooms pictured on the whole plant. (That happens a lot with my pictures too!) So it is hard to guess really how far towards lavender the plant goes in most seasons. Another problem is that the stamens look paler in the lower picture.

But here's a guess: Roseum Elegans. You might check out the description at the Rhododendron Society's website, and as you live with the plant's growth rate and study other characteristics, see whether that might be correct. The society's page does mention that it's a lavender that it ages to pink. And from the spread of the pink flowers in your first picture, it looks to be a bloom that has been open for some time. I'd suppose that the stamens might get darker as they age too.

Other possibilities: Catawbiense Grandiflorum--a close second guess, and I've seen a picture of it with the stamens dark just like yours, on a full truss of pink flowers that looks a lot like your first picture. Also: Roseum Two, Roseum Superbum, English Roseum, Catabiense Boursault.

All of these are easy to grow.

Best wishes,
Mary

Here is a link that might be useful: Info on rhododendron 'Roseum Elegans'

R. 'Roseum Elegans' was my first thought too, or some other close catawbiense hybrid. It is quite common in Europe.

Below is a link with other pictures on the interesting Hirsutum.info database.

Olivier.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.hirsutum.info/rhododendron/hybrids/detail.php?id=38