Rosa Red Knockout #3

What if you could have a rose bush that thrives on neglect?

When the Knock Out® rose hit the market about 20 years ago, it changed the landscaping game. Before this plant, growing roses in the South was a part-time job. The Red Knock Out is the original rebel. It’s not a fussy, high-maintenance diva that needs special soaps and sprays. It’s a landscape shrub that just happens to be covered in bright, cherry-red flowers. 

If you live in Winston-Salem or King, you know our summers are basically a steam bath. High humidity typically leads to fungal diseases in roses. The Knock Out was bred specifically to resist the black spot and mildew that plague our area. You will see these planted in median strips and commercial lots all over the Piedmont for a reason: they can handle the red clay, the heat, and the humidity.

Why We Recommend It:

• Blooms from Spring to Frost: We aren't exaggerating. This plant blooms in April/May and bursts into action. It produces wave after wave of blooms all the way until the first hard freeze in November. It provides the longest season of color of almost any shrub on our lot

• Bulletproof Disease Resistance: While no plant is 100% immune to everything, this is as close as it gets for a rose. It laughs at the diseases that usually strip the leaves off traditional tea roses by July. It keeps its glossy green foliage all season long.

• Less Maintenance: You don’t need to be an expert to grow this. You don’t need to know how to "deadhead" (pick off old blooms). You just plant it in the sun, water it until it's established, and maybe chop it back by half in late winter (February is usually best around here). That’s it.

Best Used For:

• Colorful hedges (plant them 3 feet apart for a solid wall of red).

• Foundation plantings (great for adding color to the front of the house).

• Mass plantings (a group of 5 or 7 is a showstopper).

• Large containers.

The Specs:

• Growth Rate: Fast.

• Mature Size: 3–4 ft. tall and wide (can get larger if you never prune it).

• Sun: Full Sun (needs at least 6–8 hours for best blooms).

• Soil: Well-drained, but highly adaptable to clay once established.

Ready to stop fearing roses? Read more about the Knock Out® group at the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox , or come visit us at Mitchell's. We’ve got the Red Knock Outs ready to go.