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Knockout roses and Rosa rugosa

7K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  SRBrooks 
#1 ·
I have two questions really.

Next year, I want to landscape my yard along the road, and I'd like to plant a lot of Rosa rugosa, which is salt-tolerant. I've never seen any, though, at my local nurseries. Everyone seems to carry knockout roses. They look a lot like Rosa rugosa, but are they the same thing?

Also, I went to the beach a few times this summer, and the seashore was covered with Rosa rugosa for miles around. I'm going to try planting them. However, I'd really prefer full-size bushes (which is why I'm curious about the knockout roses.) Does anyone know how quickly rosa rugosa grows?

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
I've grown some on the north side of my house in Maryland. They were 1-2ft when planted. They grew to 4-5ft and filled out nicely within the first growing season. I believe the Knockouts are a different variety, a hybrid - could be wrong. Rugosas, as you probably know don't really require any care. I haven't seen my bees being especially interested in them in case that matters to you. They are very fragrant - not overpoweringly so.
 
#4 ·
No, Rosa Rugosa are mostly wild varieties of rose bushes from Asia that bloom once a year for about 3 weeks in May. Spread mostly from root stock and grow to 3 - 4' tall. Not a great bee forage plant, but bees will visit them some. Very, very fragrant. Some selective breeding has occurred, a great white flowering variety is "Blanc Double de Courbet". I also like the Purple flowing "Purple Pavement" variety. Big nurseries sometime have them in early spring. I order root stock over winter for spring planting in April.

Knockout roses are a very durable hybrid that bloom all season long. I've never seen bees visit them. Most varieties are not fragrant.


Don
 
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