Outta the Blue is a hybrid shrub rose in the rose family (Rosaceae) bred by Tom Carruth of the United States and released by Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower, Inc. in 2000. Parentage is Stephens' Big Purple × [International Herald Tribune X 79520-B6] This shrub is bushy, spreading and upright to slightly rounded and grows 3-5 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. Plant in full sun in amended, well-drained, moist garden soil. It will produce clusters of magenta flowers swirled with gold that will age to various shades of lavender blue. Each 4–5-inch flower typically has 40 to 50 petals in a scalloped bloom form and a strong spicy fragrance. It will bloom in flushes throughout the season. Foliage is medium green on stems with prickles. Use this shrub in the border, as a specimen, as a hedge, in groups, in the cottage or cutting garden. It will tolerate growing in a container. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to blackspot. See pests of roses to the left. Deer will browse roses. More information on Rosa .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheRosa 'Belle Poitevine'Rosa 'Dortmund'Rosa Lady of the Dawn 'INTerlada'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Rose; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 2 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Mounding; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Medium green leaves
Flower color
Blue; Gold/Yellow; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Reddish purple (mauve) with white center; light pink to white reverse fade to various shades of lavender. 4-5 inch blooms; with 30-50 petals. Spicy fragrance. Repeat blooms.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Stem detail
Stems with prickles
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Attracts birds and butterflies
Play value
Attracts Pollinators
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Patio; Walkways
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Hedge; Specimen
Garden tags
#fragrant flowers #butterfly friendly #repeat flowering #specimen #full sun #magenta flowers #hedge #prickles #border #shrub rose