Growth coming up in the bush that looks like a Japanese Maple

Question

We have a large and beautiful knock out rose in the front of out home. There are 3-4 grown stems that are growing with no blooms but the top of each stem looks like a Japanese Maple. The stems have very, fine thorns on them.

What are these growths and what caused them.

Thanks you

Answer 1

KnockOut roses are grafted which means they are attached to a different rose’s roots. This helps them grow quickly and improves hardiness. Sometimes, the roots send up shoots that are clearly different from your KnockOut. If you follow these shoots down to where they originate, you will see that they don’t come from the base of the rose like the other canes. These come from below the soil line and should be broken off. Cut the cane to 12 inches, brush away the soil gently and snap the cane off where it starts. Simply cutting it ensures it will keep coming back. These rootstock canes divert a lot of energy away from the rest of the bush and if left unchecked, can overwhelm the grafted rose. Here is an article with more information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/removing-rose-suckers.htm