Rainbow Knock Out® Rose

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 8

Looking for a rose with unique coloring but with a fraction of the care requirements of traditional roses? You have found a candidate: the Rainbow Knock Out Rose. This rose boasts massive amounts of single flowers in coral, pink, and cream shades that bloom across a long season. A former All-America Rose Selection, the Rainbow Knock Out offers excellent disease resistance and attractive foliage.

A low maintenance requirement is the most outstanding feature of the Knock Out family of roses. This shrub lacks the strong fragrance of other roses and its blooms have a fairly short vase-life, but it can be treated as an easy flowering shrub. It has resistance to powdery mildew and black spot and is self-cleaning and drought tolerant, making it a great plant for a range of climates and sites. It is hardy and heat/humidity tolerant from USDA zones 5 to 8.

Rainbow Knock Out Rose Care

Rainbow Knock Out roses require ample light, with at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily. These shrubs prefer a well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. After planting, water the roses whenever rainfall is insufficient to encourage establishment. A 3-inch layer of mulch around the plant helps to retain soil moisture and suppress competitive weeds.

Do any pruning to maintain a smaller size or adjust the shape while the shrub is dormant in late winter or early spring. This timing will ensure that flowering is not affected. It is possible to grow Rainbow Knock Out roses in a container. A container must have a volume of at least 10 or 15 gallons, have ample drainage, and be heavy enough that no issues will arise when the shrub grows and becomes more top-heavy. Specimens in containers will require more frequent watering than their counterparts grown in the ground, especially during hot, dry weather.

Rainbow Knock Out Rose Spacing

Adequate spacing is necessary to ensure that Rainbow Knock Out will maintain the best shape with minimal pruning. These shrubs grow at least 2 to 3 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide, so space plants accordingly. Good air flow around the plants will also bring out the best performance from this rose.