The Knockout Rose and Its Quick Demise (from Being Disease Resistant)
My newest blog is about my loss from Rose Rosette disease and how quickly the disease can wipe out the Knockout.
I like Knockouts and I have many in my yard because I bought them cheap. However, I am not their biggest fan. They can be beautiful and here in zone 7 they can get HUGE and still need pruning to keep their shape. I also found out the 2nd season that they ARE NOT disease resistant or even pest resistant. They are not as 'fragile' as a regular rose but they are not completely without some maintenance.
If you love roses and do not want to worry about all the things that happen to hybrid and tea roses, then put some of these in. They love full sun but will tolerate and perform in part sun with at least 6 hours of sun including morning to noon day sun. In zone 7 they will grow slower and a bit leggy but will bloom in dappled shade and sun. They can quickly fill in a spot and offer 3 seasons of blooms here in VA. They even grow under Oak trees...slower but they grow and bloom which is okay because I have them in a spot where I do not want them to get big.
So check out my blog complete with pictures I hope that will help you if you have fears of this disease affecting your roses.
Happy gardening!
Update as of June 9, 2014
Lost another Knockout in another area but in the front yard and it has affected my climbing rose about 30 feet away. I have 1 left in front and 3 in the back yard so far not affected. I am making the decision to remove all Knockouts when I find a replacement for them and will carefully watch my rescue roses for any signs.
I have also come to the conclusion that any disease may affect Knockouts who have been distressed before planting. I bought mine all on the clearance racks and have had to battle pests and disease. The Rose Rosette disease is a virus spreading from the Phyllocoptes fructiphilus, a microscopic mite, which is carried by the wind and feeds on the roses. Many of the sources say that the disease is spread via the root systems of the roses-which I believe only to partially true. I believe if the mite is carried by the wind, then this should also be classified as an airborne disease as well since it is carried by the mites to each rose. My hypothesis comes from my own experience wherein I have other roses not in the same area affected. So no rose is safe if one rose has become infected in a garden or area.
Just my thoughts...
I like Knockouts and I have many in my yard because I bought them cheap. However, I am not their biggest fan. They can be beautiful and here in zone 7 they can get HUGE and still need pruning to keep their shape. I also found out the 2nd season that they ARE NOT disease resistant or even pest resistant. They are not as 'fragile' as a regular rose but they are not completely without some maintenance.
If you love roses and do not want to worry about all the things that happen to hybrid and tea roses, then put some of these in. They love full sun but will tolerate and perform in part sun with at least 6 hours of sun including morning to noon day sun. In zone 7 they will grow slower and a bit leggy but will bloom in dappled shade and sun. They can quickly fill in a spot and offer 3 seasons of blooms here in VA. They even grow under Oak trees...slower but they grow and bloom which is okay because I have them in a spot where I do not want them to get big.
So check out my blog complete with pictures I hope that will help you if you have fears of this disease affecting your roses.
Happy gardening!
Update as of June 9, 2014
Lost another Knockout in another area but in the front yard and it has affected my climbing rose about 30 feet away. I have 1 left in front and 3 in the back yard so far not affected. I am making the decision to remove all Knockouts when I find a replacement for them and will carefully watch my rescue roses for any signs.
I have also come to the conclusion that any disease may affect Knockouts who have been distressed before planting. I bought mine all on the clearance racks and have had to battle pests and disease. The Rose Rosette disease is a virus spreading from the Phyllocoptes fructiphilus, a microscopic mite, which is carried by the wind and feeds on the roses. Many of the sources say that the disease is spread via the root systems of the roses-which I believe only to partially true. I believe if the mite is carried by the wind, then this should also be classified as an airborne disease as well since it is carried by the mites to each rose. My hypothesis comes from my own experience wherein I have other roses not in the same area affected. So no rose is safe if one rose has become infected in a garden or area.
Just my thoughts...
A Knockout at the store with red growth
this is an infected stem with its dark burgundy color and the telltale signs "witches broom" the multiple red thorns
From a distance it looks like a healthy and beautiful Knockout.
All the way down to the original cane I found the leaves turning red and the thorns were red on dark green stems. Red thorns are a sign of the disease because healthy roses have brownish or stem colored thorns.
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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3 of 16 comments
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We have 4 one keeps having dead spots (branches that die)
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I have lost over 20 roses in the past two growing seasons to the rose rosette disease....knockouts, oso easy, carefree delight and others that I do not know the exact name. I have been told by an expert that I should not replace any of them with roses of any kind as they will eventually become infected also. So sad. I don't know of any plant here in zone 6 that provide the same non stop blooms as the knockouts and oso easy's did.
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Rose rosette spread through the soil. Finding alternative is not easy unless you mix different shrubs like Viburnum &, Mock Orange.
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Frequently asked questions
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I have 2 roses that I need to get rid of because of this virus. Can you plant anything else in that spot?