Rose ‘Red Knock Out’

Rose 'Red Knock Out' (Rosa 'Red Knock Out') is the rose for people who like roses but not rose maintenance. It forms a rounded bush about 1.2m tall and wide, covered in red flowers that repeat from spring through to autumn, and its disease resistance means no fortnightly spraying for black spot. Plant a row 1m apart for a continuous band of colour.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers for months, not weeks. Repeat flushes from spring to autumn, with the bush rarely out of colour in a warm garden.
• Disease resistance you can rely on. Bred as a landscape rose, it shrugs off the black spot and mildew that make traditional roses hard work.
• Pruning is simple. Cut the whole bush back by about a third in late winter. No rules about outward facing buds.
• It suits most Australian climates. Cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens all work, and it is frost hardy and heat tolerant.
• Pet friendly. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and the open flowers give bees real access to the pollen.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a continuous mass display. At that spacing the bushes touch without crowding, and the bed reads as one block of colour rather than a row of individuals.

Borders and edging. A single row along a driveway or fence line gives height at around 1.2m. Allow 60cm of clearance from paving.

Pots and feature planting. A 400mm pot or larger holds one plant well. In a container it settles closer to 1m and needs watering every second day in summer.

Growing Red Knock Out roses in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, at least six hours, with good air movement. It is frost hardy, so cold southern and inland gardens are fine, and it takes heat and dry spells once established. In humid subtropical gardens, give it more room so the foliage dries quickly after rain.

Soil. Well drained soil enriched with compost or aged manure. Roses will not thrive in waterlogged ground, so raise the bed on heavy clay. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry weather, at soil level rather than over the leaves. Feed a complete rose fertiliser in early spring, after the first flush, and again in midsummer.

Pruning. Late winter, one cut: reduce the bush by about a third and take out dead or crossing wood. Deadheading is optional, though it brings the next flush on a little sooner.

What to expect when it arrives

This rose is sold as tube stock: a young rooted plant rather than a bare rooted bush. It arrives in active growth with an intact root system, so you can plant it at almost any time of year.

Expect a modest first season while the framework builds, flowers from the first spring, and the full bush by the second or third year. Water daily for the first fortnight and pinch off the earliest buds. 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

• Compare the rose range
• A beginner's guide to pruning shrubs
• Plants safe around cats and dogs
• Other long flowering shrubs

Common questions

Does it really need no spraying?

In most gardens, no. It carries strong resistance to black spot and mildew, though in a very humid summer some leaf marking is possible. Spacing plants 1m apart and watering at soil level keeps it clean.

How do I prune it?

Cut the whole bush back by roughly a third in late winter and remove dead wood. That is the entire job. Traditional rose pruning technique is not required.

Is it fragrant?

Only lightly. Knock Out roses were bred for flower power, health and length of season rather than scent, so choose a different rose if fragrance is your priority.

Will it grow in the subtropics?

Yes. It flowers from subtropical Queensland through to cool southern gardens, with warm gardens giving a longer season and cool ones deeper colour.