YardMate
English
Download
Hot Cocoa (Rosa 'Hot Cocoa'), whole plant
  • Hot Cocoa — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Hot Cocoa — seasonal appearance
  • Hot Cocoa in a garden setting

Hot Cocoa

Rosa 'Hot Cocoa'

Medium · Some experience

About Hot Cocoa

Hot Cocoa is a unique chocolate-brown and orange-red floribunda rose producing 4-inch ruffled blooms in clusters on a 3 to 4 foot bush. A 2003 AARS winner bred by Tom Carruth, it is one of the most distinctive smoky-toned roses in American gardens, with moist cocoa-colored petals that stand out in any planting.

  • Long-blooming
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to -20°F (-29°C)
USDA hardiness zones 5–9

How to care for Hot Cocoa

Watering

  • Springevery 5 days
  • Summerevery 3 days
  • Fallevery 7 days
  • Winterevery 14 days

Soil · Rich & loamy

  • Top dressingBark mulch15%
  • Main mixRich loam + compost 3:170%
  • DrainageGravel15%

Use fully finished compost — fresh compost burns roots.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 30 days
  • Summerevery 30 days
  • Fallevery 45 days
Get watering reminders for Hot Cocoa — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeNorth America
  • Height3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m)
  • Spread2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorRed, Orange
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Deadhead clusters for repeat bloom; prune late winter

Fragrance

STRONG FRAGRANCE

Strong old-rose and spice scent.

Toxicity

Humans Slight

Unknown toxic principle

Slight

  • Stem
  • Contact

EXPOSURE Touching stems.

EFFECT Pricks from thorns.

NOTE Not toxic; thorns cause mechanical injury.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for dogs; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for cats; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Hot Cocoa · Native
  • Native
  • North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Hot Cocoa

Rosa 'Hot Cocoa' is a smoky chocolate-russet floribunda rose bred by American hybridizer Tom Carruth at Weeks Roses in Upland, California, released in 2002 from a complex cross of 'Altissimo' and 'Livin' Easy'. The cultivar broke new ground in rose color: buds open as rich chocolate-red and mature to smoky brown-russet with coral undertones, a palette unlike anything previously available in floribundas. Wavy ruffled petals, strong old-rose-and-spice fragrance, and vigorous upright growth made it an immediate sensation.

'Hot Cocoa' won the All-America Rose Selections award in 2003 (an honor for a color-breakthrough rose) and has since parented several further brown and russet cultivars. Excellent garden performer; clusters of large flowers bloom continuously on disease-resistant plants. One of the first roses to bring truly chocolate-brown tones into wide commercial cultivation, pioneering a new trend in novelty rose colors.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Hot Cocoa Rose is unique charm in a color almost no rose had worn before — a smoky chocolate-brown with russet undertones, a 2003 introduction that broke open a whole new palette. Its novelty made it a sensation, the pioneering smoky rose tone that florists and designers had quietly been waiting for. It is the rose for those who would rather start a conversation than win a prize.

  • Unique charm — rare chocolate-brown color
  • Novelty — pioneering smoky rose tone

Where the Name Comes From

Named 'Hot Cocoa' for the unique chocolate-brown to russet-orange color of the blooms.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Smoky chocolate-orange ruffled blooms for unique flower arrangements
  • Distinctive cocoa-toned floribunda for collector rose gardens

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Hot Cocoa?

In summer, water about every 3 days; in winter, about every 14 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Hot Cocoa need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Hot Cocoa toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Safe (Dogs Safe · Cats Safe) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Hot Cocoa easy to grow?

It is moderately demanding: a good choice once you have a little experience.

When does Hot Cocoa bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

YardMate

Identify any plant in seconds

Snap a photo — YardMate names the plant, diagnoses problems, and reminds you when to water.

Download on the App Store
YardMateIdentify · Diagnose · Remind
Download