Candy Cane Rose | Red-White Floribunda That Keeps Blooming

The Candy Cane Rose — officially Candy Cane Cocktail™ — is a Floribunda variety with creamy-white petals edged in deep pink to red, producing continuous flowers from late spring through early fall in zones 5–10.

Most rose bushes give you one solid color and call it done. This one looks like it was painted by hand. Each creamy-white petal carries a dark pink to red rim, and the contrast holds up all season long. It’s a Floribunda, which means you get clusters of blooms rather than single stems — more color per square foot of garden bed.

Below you’ll find the exact specs, where it grows well, how to plant it, and the one thing some online posts get wrong about this rose’s coloring.

What Exactly Is A Candy Cane Rose?

The plant sold under this name is a patented Floribunda variety called Candy Cane Cocktail™ (Rosa ‘Meiriansois’). It’s not a hybrid tea or a climber — it’s a bushy, upright shrub that reaches 3½ to 4 feet tall and spreads about 3 feet wide. The flowers measure 3 inches across with roughly 25 petals each, carrying a very slight fragrance.

The patent number is PP 28,661, and the variety was bred by Meilland International in France. It’s sold as a bareroot ownroot plant at most major rose retailers.

The Color Pattern: What You’ll Actually See

The blooms open creamy-white with the pink-to-red coloring concentrated at the petal edges. As the flower ages, the red deepens and spreads inward slightly, giving each bloom a slightly different look from day to day. Some online posts describe green stripes in the petals — that’s incorrect. The official breeder specs show no green pigmentation in the flowers. The “candy cane” effect comes from the white-and-red contrast, not from green.

Foliage is dark green with a semi-glossy finish, which sets off the light-colored flowers well. The plant re-blooms in waves from late spring through early fall, so you’re never looking at a bare bush for long.

Hardiness And Where It Grows Best

This rose handles a wide climate range — zones 5 through 10 cover most of the continental US. It performs well in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Intermountain West, West Coast, and Pacific Northwest. If you’re in a colder zone, plant it with a deep winter mulch and choose a spot protected from harsh winds.

It’s listed as drought tolerant once established, but regular watering the first season is essential for root development. The superior disease resistance rating means you’ll spend less time spraying for black spot and powdery mildew than with many other Floribundas.

Planting And Care That Gets Results

Full sun is non-negotiable for the richest color. In partial shade the flowers still appear, but the red edges may fade to a softer pink and the stems can get leggy. Morning sun is especially important if your garden runs damp — it dries the foliage early and cuts disease risk.

Soil needs to be rich, fertile, and well-drained. If your ground is heavy clay, work in compost or aged manure before planting. Space the rose 3 feet from neighboring plants so air moves freely around the leaves.

Water deeply once or twice a week during dry spells, keeping water off the foliage. The best watering strategy is a slow soak at the base — a soaker hose laid around the root zone works perfectly.

Fertilize in late winter or early spring with a balanced rose fertilizer (like a 10-10-10 or a slow-release rose food), then again after the first big bloom flush in early summer. Stop fertilizing about 6 weeks before your first expected frost to let the plant harden off for winter.

Mulch in late winter with 2–3 inches of shredded bark, compost, or leaf mold. This keeps roots cool, holds moisture, and suppresses weeds. Reapply each year as the old layer breaks down.

The plant is rated easy to maintain. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage faster re-flowering, but this variety keeps producing even with minimal attention. For cut flowers, one snip gives you a full cluster that lasts well in a vase.

The Two Common Mistakes People Make With This Rose

Mistake 1: Expecting green stripes. A handful of social media posts describe the petals as having green in the pattern. The official breeder documentation and every major retailer list only white with pink-to-red edges. If you’re after a green-and-red rose, this isn’t the one.

Mistake 2: Overestimating the fragrance. Some buyers assume a rose with showy coloring will be heavily scented. This variety has a very slight fragrance — pleasant if you put your nose right up to it, but not something you’ll smell from across the garden. If fragrance is your priority, look for a David Austin English rose instead.

Deer And Pest Reality Check

This rose is listed as deer resistant, which means deer typically pass it by when other food is available. In areas with high deer pressure or during drought years, they may still take a nibble. A physical barrier or deer repellent spray is cheap insurance if you’ve got a heavy herd nearby.

Japanese beetles can be an issue during summer in the Midwest and East Coast. Hand-pick them into soapy water or use milky spore treatment on your lawn to control the grub stage.

Who Can’t Grow This Rose

If you’re in zone 4 or colder, this variety won’t reliably survive winter without extensive protection. Gardeners in zones 5 and 6 should plant it in a sheltered spot and provide winter mulch. Southern growers in zone 10 should give it afternoon shade in the hottest months to prevent the colors from fading too quickly.

There are no soil pH restrictions beyond the standard rose preference for slightly acidic to neutral (6.0–7.0). A simple soil test from your county extension office costs next to nothing and tells you exactly what you’re working with.

Places To Buy It

The Jackson & Perkins listing is the most complete source for specs and ordering bareroot plants. Heirloom Roses and Grace Rose Farm also carry it as potted stock, which gives you a wider planting window. Star Roses and Plants is the original US distributor if you want to check regional availability.

Plant It Right And It Rewards All Season