Since the original Knock Out rose was introduced over twenty years ago, a number of other Knock Out varieties have been released. These include Coral and Petite Knock Outs.

The Original Knock Out Rose

The very first Knock Out rose was released in 1998. This has now become the original Knock Out variety since many others have been added to the Knock Out family of roses.

This rose is readily available from Gurney and other sources. Introduced by Conard-Pyle, it was bred by award winning hybridizer William Radler. This rose was named an All-America Rose Selections winner in 2000.

Since it was released, it has become the most popular landscape rose in America. It has been called “the ultimate landscape plant.”

Suited to zones four through eleven, the vigorous, cold and heat tolerant plant can withstand drought. This plant will need winter protection in the coldest areas.

It is both disease and pest resistant. In fact, it has become the most disease resistant rose of the last fifty years.

The plant grows from three to four feet in height with a spread of four to five feet. This is highly recommended for hedges and borders. The leaves are greenish-purple.

The carefree plant is a repeat bloomer with a new flush of blooms appearing every five to six weeks. The self cleaning plant needs no dead heading. The original Knock Out rose is the most free flowering plant of all the shrubs. The flowers are larger with more repeat blooms than other roses.

The blossoms are three to 3½ inches wide. These single blooms are mostly bright red to cherry red, but on rare occasions they can be a very deep pink. They release a light tea scent.


Petite Knock Out Rose

This rose variety is on my must have list of plants for next year. I learned about it too late in 2020 to order one, but this gives me something to look forward to in the 2021 gardening season.

Petite Knock Out rose is recommended for zones five through ten. It is the newest of all the Knock Outs and by far the most unusual for this is truly a miniature rose.

This new rose is only 1½ feet in height, which is comparable to most of the Drift ground cover roses. The compact plant is well suited to beds, borders, and containers.

Petite Knock Out rose blooms continuously all season. The pure red blossoms are non-fading.


Coral Knock Out Rose

Available from Jung Seed, the Coral Knock Out rose was named a regional award winner by the All-America Rose Selections for the Northeast, Southeast, and South Central U.S.

Recommended for zones five through eleven, Coral Knock Out rose is a neat, rounded shrub that reaches four to five feet in height with a spread of around 2½ feet or so. The new leaves are reddish bronze.

This rose bears lovely, double, cup shaped blossoms from spring through the fall. The flowers are peach to dark coral-orange. The color is most vivid in humid, hot areas.