Earth Kind is an important designation given to select roses by the Texas A&M University Agriculture program. Earth Kind Roses have been through rigorous statewide testing and evaluation by a team of horticultural experts and found to possess the high level of landscape performance and outstanding disease and insect tolerance/resistance required to for this special designation.

Earth Kind Roses are among the most thoroughly tested and environmentally responsible plants for the use in Texas landscapes. These roses do very well in almost any soil type, from the well-drained acid sands of East Texas to the poorly aerated, highly alkaline clays of central and Southwest Texas. Earth Kind roses are certainly not immune to pest problems. However, their tolerance to pests is so great that they rarely require the use of chemical pesticides.

‘Knock Out’™, developed by breeder William Radler from a cross of “Carefree Beauty’ and ‘Razzle Dazzle’, was introduced in 2000 by Conard-Pyle, and was also designated an All American Rose Selection the same year. Blackspot disease resistance trials at Texas A&M-Overton pointed to this rose as a winner in the years preceding its introduction. In 2004, ‘Knock Out’™ was awarded the prestigious Texas Superstar designation for its outstanding attributes of disease resistance, beauty, heat and cold hardiness, and usefulness in the landscape. It is the ‘Knock Out’™ bears clusters of bright, florescent cherry red blooms thatare 3 to 3 ½ inches in diameter with 7-13 petals. Clusters of 3-15 flowers give off a light tea rose fragrance on the 4 feet by 4 feet bushy, rounded plant (5 by 5 if unpruned). The foliage is dark green and remarkably disease free, making this a rose you will never have to spray with fungicides. During the winter months, orange-red rose hips provide added winter interest. It grows well in planting zones 4 through.

Landscape Uses:
Knock Out™ is the most popular landscape rose ever produced. Wherever a small, everblooming shrub is called for in a full to part sun exposure, Knock Out™ rose is an excellent candidate. Unlike many other roses, it will never need spraying for disease or insects. Its dark glossy green foliage brings out the color of the bright, cherry red flowers. It can be kept at a compact 3 foot tall height by occasional shearing or pruning, or left alone to reach about 5 foot tall. Can be used in many landscape designs, including massed along walkways, in front of dark evergreen hedges, accents in front of the house or around a pool – the options are nearly endless.

If you have hesitated using roses in your landscape due to the traditional maintenance required to keep modern roses healthy and disease free, then wait no longer – Knock Out™ is a rose that will change your mind forever about roses in your garden.

Prepared by: Keith Hansen, Smith County Extension Horticulturist

Join the Earth Kind Rose Brigade:
We invite you to become a member of the “Earth Kind Rose Brigade,” a group of dedicated amateurs helping to conduct advanced field testing of experimental rose selections. Your participation will be educational as well as valuable in providing information to the Earth Kind Team of Extension specialists and research scientists at Texas A&M University.

To participate, simply purchase and plant one or more of the Brigade roses then, at one, two, three, and four years after transplanting, provide the benefit of your growing experience.

These cultivars should be planted where they will receive at least 8 hours of direct sun each day with good air movement over the foliage. The use of compost and organic mulches is encouraged.