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Rainbow's End (Rosa 'Rainbow's End'), whole plant
  • Rainbow's End — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Rainbow's End — seasonal appearance
  • Rainbow's End in a garden setting

Rainbow's End

Rosa 'Rainbow's End'

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Rainbow's End

Rainbow's End is a stunning miniature rose bred by Harmon Saville and introduced in 1984, winning the American Rose Society's Award of Excellence. Producing small high-centered double blooms in spectacular yellow centers with red petal edges that intensify in sun, the plant grows 12 to 18 inches and blooms continuously from spring through frost. One of the most beloved bicolor miniatures in American rose gardens.

  • Compact
  • Container-friendly
  • 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 Rainbow's End

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 Rainbow's End — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeNorth America
  • Height1.5–2 ft (0.5–0.6 m)
  • Spread1–1.5 ft (0.3–0.5 m)
  • Flower colorYellow, Red
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained
  • LocationsYard · Balcony

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Jan–Dec

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

Yellow-and-red bicolor minis, deadhead for continuous repeat

Fragrance

LIGHT FRAGRANCE

The flowers have a very light 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

Rainbow's End · Native
  • Native
  • North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Rainbow's End

Rosa 'Rainbow's End' is a bicoloured yellow-and-red miniature rose bred by American hybridizer Harmon Saville at Nor'East Miniature Roses in Massachusetts, released in 1984 from a cross between 'Rise 'n' Shine' and 'Watercolor'. The perfect miniature hybrid-tea-shaped blooms, just four centimeters across, open a clear deep yellow and develop intense red flushing at the petal edges proportional to sun exposure, so plants grown in strong sun display a remarkable rainbow effect with buds, half-open blooms, and mature flowers showing every color transition simultaneously. 'Rainbow's End' won the American Rose Society's Award of Excellence in 1986 and became the most celebrated miniature rose of its generation, frequently described as the single most beautiful miniature ever bred.

The compact plant reaches 40 centimeters and blooms continuously; faint scent.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Rainbow's End suggests hopeful promise, its golden flower centers like the legendary pot of gold at the rainbow's foot. Paired with sun-painted edges, the petals deepen to red with bright sun exposure, each bloom literally painted by the weather. It is a miniature rose that turns the garden's daily light into a visible reward.

  • Hopeful promise — rainbow's-end gold at flower center
  • Sun-painted — red edges intensify in bright sun

Where the Name Comes From

Cultivar name evokes the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, referencing the yellow center and red petal edges.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Compact yellow-to-red blooms brighten patio pots and low edging
  • Yellow blooms blushed crimson edges on a tidy small bush
  • Tiny bicolor blooms perfect for miniature arrangements

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Rainbow's End?

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

How much light does Rainbow's End need?

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

Is Rainbow's End 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 Rainbow's End easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

When does Rainbow's End bloom?

It typically blooms Jan–Dec in the Northern Hemisphere.

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