Rose ‘Rainbow Knock Out’

Rose 'Rainbow Knock Out' (Rosa 'Rainbow Knock Out') is the rose for people who want colour, not a hobby. It grows into a rounded shrub about 1m tall and wide and produces single coral pink flowers with a soft yellow centre in flush after flush from spring until autumn. Bred for disease resistance, it keeps its foliage clean without the spray program traditional roses demand.

Why you'll love it

• No spray program. Bred for strong resistance to black spot and mildew, it stays presentable in most gardens without routine spraying. Resistant does not mean immune, but the weekly ritual is off the list.
• Months of flower. Flushes repeat from spring through autumn with only a light tidy between them.
• A rose that is safe around pets. The plant is not toxic to cats or dogs. Respect the thorns and there is nothing else to worry about.
• Compact and self supporting. At about 1m each way it needs no staking and no fussing.
• Handles heat and dry spells. Once established it keeps flowering through hot summers that stall softer roses.

Where it works best

Mass planting and low hedges. Plant 80cm apart for a continuous low flowering hedge along a fence, drive or garden bed.

Borders and feature spots. A group of three at 80cm spacing reads as one generous shrub in a mixed border, holding colour while perennials around it rest.

Pots. A 400mm or larger pot suits it, in full sun with a quality potting mix and regular water.

Growing Rainbow Knock Out in Australia

Position and climate. Six hours of sun or more brings the best flowering. It performs in subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates, and being fully frost hardy it suits cold inland and southern gardens, where it simply drops its leaves for winter.

Soil. Like all roses it does best in rich, well drained soil. Dig in compost and aged manure before planting and mulch 50mm to 75mm deep, kept clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week for the first summer, at the base rather than over the leaves. Feed with a rose fertiliser after the first spring flush and again in mid summer.

Pruning. One annual cut in late winter, reducing the bush by about a third, is all it needs. There is no need to deadhead every spent bloom; a quick trim between flushes brings the next round on faster.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Rainbow Knock Out as tube stock: a young plant that is small on arrival but moves quickly once planted. Expect it to establish through its first season, flower early in life and fill out to its mature 1m frame over the following year. Tubes are also the economical way to plant a whole flowering hedge at once.

Orders are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full rose collection.
• Prefer fuller blooms? See Rose 'Double Pink Knock Out'.
• Explore more plants safe for pets.
• Find companions among our flowering plants.

Common questions

Does it really not need spraying?

In most gardens, no. The breeding targets black spot and powdery mildew specifically. In a very humid, still corner some spotting can appear; improve airflow before reaching for a spray.

What spacing should I use for a low hedge?

80cm apart in a single row. The bushes touch in their second season and flower along the full run from spring to autumn.

Is it safe for dogs and cats?

Yes, roses are not toxic to pets. The only hazard is mechanical: thorny stems are worth keeping away from boisterous chewers.

Does it lose its leaves in winter?

Yes, it is deciduous. In frosty districts it drops cleanly and reshoots in spring; in warm subtropical gardens it may hold some foliage most of the year.