No, they are not hardy in zone 4 and points north. A shame since the hybridizer is from Wisconsin.

I had three. Two died the following winter. I replaced them. Next winter one died and the others were weakened. Next year the last one died. I am in the Twin Cities. I have many roses. Knockout was one of the least winter hardy roses I have ever attempted.

I've had knockouts for 3 years. They always die back to within 4 inches of the soil but I haven't lost any yet. Mine are own root and I don't give them any extra protection for winter. They are right next to the sidewalk and get quite a bit of snow shoveled onto them though. Not all zone 4s are created equal. Wind exposure, snowfall, individual micro climates, health of the rose going into fall, etc will all play a part in survival of marginally hardy plants.

I have the knockout red - two of them. So far so good. They're blooming crazy. I'm in Northfield & have them between the sidewalk & the house. The roses are soooo pretty. Also have a couple Lady Elise May's. They are blooming like there's no tomorrow also. They make me look like I know what I'm doing! But I'm definitely just a neophyte. The knockouts do need some straw coverage or protection. I do it for the Elise May also. That's pretty much all they need. I think you'll run into trouble if you don't.

My mom has purchased and lost several of them (elk river area) because they are "zone 4". It really bothers me that stores/nurseries carry these marginal/non-hardy roses when there are some really great shrub roses that are very hardy to our area that most places never seem to carry.

Same goes for boxwood. The cultivar "Wintergreen" is great for our area-but all you ever see is some zone 5 thing ready to burn up in the winter sun.

Our neighbor has one, but they listened to us when I told them they'd need to protect it in the winter - it's dong BEAUTIFULLY! Never large, but blooming perfectly. It's in a protected spot against the fence and buried deeply in leaves after the ground starts freezing.

-Marie

I have three, and two have been covered and in the ground for probably 3-4 years now, and teh other was not covered and was put in late after sitting on Home Depot' parkig lot all summer. All three freeze to close to the ground but come back nicely for me.

After I wrap them in burlap, can I put a plastic container over them. Snow is shoveled on them. And we get lots of snow and cold in sauquoit NY
Thank you
Carol Rawls

I have had fair luck with the red one. A friend has a gorgeous floriferous vigorous one, by comparison. Mine isn't the most vigorous, but it bloomed that gorgeous red until now. The other colors of Knock Outs all died for me. I don't cover or do anything for them. The red gets a little more sun than the others did.
gramma jan

Ditch the Knock Out roses for a Minnesota garden.

Instead, get Oso Happy roses. Two cultivars have been introduced: Petit Pink, with double pink flowers; and Candy Oh, with single red blooms. Both were bred by Minnesota hybridizer David Zlesak.

Mine all died Wont try again

Mine all died Wont try again

I have 6 Winnipeg Park rose bushes. IMO the best looking shrub rose around. I never cover them in winter. Don't even mound them in mulch in winter. Pretty burgundy new leaf shoots. Start blooming in June and are still going after a few frosts. Amend the soil when you plant them. Dead head them and use Bayer systemic/fertilizer to protect them. They will live for years.

We had (8) knockout rose bushes around the front (East facing)and side (South facing) of the house. They did great for 2 years but this last winter killed them all.

This thread is probably passé-but I have a Knockout pink that I grew in a pot all summer and dearly liked it. I can definitely understand real Rose people not liking it because it is mass produced.I use to live in an area where I could grow hybrid t's and would much prefer them but in this zone there are not that many roses that will live-not even the K.O outside.I have a one wild large rugosa up by the road which is contained by temps and conditions and the occ. car that slides into it and a Theresa Bugnet at the side of the house that makes it so far every year.Know of any others that is not a rugosa that will?Let me know.
Anyhow,the laugh is that I actually brought the darn K.O
into the house for the winter.It is in the coolest room with an east light-been watering it occ.The canes look ok so far.
Question is if it stays alive can I rejuvenate it for this summer and how?Obviously need to keep it as a container plant.It is not really totally dormant but maybe halfway-