APACHE ® – red groundcover rose – KORcatemp
The APACHE ® groundcover rose brings reliable colour and dense, low coverage to family gardens without demanding constant work. Its spreading habit quickly forms a neat carpet that suppresses weeds and needs only light seasonal trimming, ideal for small beds, edging and sunny front gardens where space is limited but impact matters. Single, vivid scarlet-red blooms with golden stamens are highly visible from the pavement and draw in pollinators, while excellent disease resistance and award-winning resilience help it cope with typical British damp spells and breezy coastal conditions. Own-root plants settle gradually and build a stable, long-lived shrub, so you can enjoy lasting structure and dependable flowering without specialist pruning. In most gardens you will see the roots establishing in the first year, stronger top growth in the second, and a full ornamental effect by the third, matching the rhythm of a busy lifestyle.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Small front-garden beds |
The low, spreading habit covers bare soil quickly, giving tidy, weed-suppressing groundcover with minimal trimming. Its compact height keeps windows and sight-lines clear, ideal for neat front gardens that need reliable colour for the style-conscious beginner. |
| Edging along paths and drives |
APACHE ® forms a continuous, dense line of foliage and flowers that softens hard edges while staying low enough not to spill excessively onto paths. Self-cleaning blooms save on deadheading, suiting homeowners who want smart boundaries with little routine work. |
| Small group plantings in cottage-style borders |
Planted in groups of 3–5, the uniform scarlet-red flowers give a strong block of colour that anchors looser cottage plantings. The flowers darken slightly rather than fading, so the border keeps its richness through the season for design-conscious home gardeners. |
| Informal low hedge or boundary strip |
At 50–90 cm high and up to 100 cm wide, APACHE ® can be spaced to create a low, visually unified hedge that marks boundaries without feeling heavy. Its dark, slightly glossy foliage stays attractive, supporting a long-lived framework for practical family spaces. |
| Easy-care beds in busy family gardens |
Strong health and good self-cleaning mean little more than watering in dry spells and a simple annual prune, making it well suited to those short on time. The own-root habit builds a durable base that copes with ordinary lapses in care for time-pressed householders. |
| Sunny pollinator-friendly planting strips |
The single, open flowers with prominent golden stamens are easily accessible to bees and other insects, providing nectar through repeat flowering. Clustered blooms create a conspicuous feeding zone, fitting gardeners who want wildlife value without complex schemes. |
| Urban and coastal family plots |
Robust foliage and strong disease resistance, recognised by international trial awards, help APACHE ® cope with humidity and variable air quality. Its sturdy, spreading framework anchors well in raised beds or improved soils, even in breezy, exposed suburban sites. |
| Large containers and patio planters |
In a 40–50 litre or larger container, APACHE ® creates a low, cascading mound of foliage and red blooms that brightens entrances and patios. Reliable repeat flowering and modest maintenance tasks favour those wanting portable colour with straightforward seasonal care. |
Styling ideas
- Classic-front-edge – line a narrow front border with APACHE ® for a crisp red ribbon against dark mulch and clipped evergreen shapes – ideal for owners of traditional bay-window terraces.
- Cottage-drift – plant small drifts among hardy perennials such as lavender and catmint for a relaxed, flower-rich cottage effect – suited to gardeners seeking informal charm without high upkeep.
- Ruby-and-silver – combine APACHE ® with Perovskia and silvery foliage plants to contrast scarlet blooms against airy, pale textures – perfect for design-led homeowners wanting a contemporary twist.
- Grass-partner – weave plants through clumps of Pennisetum for a soft mix of red flowers and moving seedheads – appealing to those who enjoy naturalistic borders with easy seasonal maintenance.
- Patio-carpet – place a group of large containers near seating, each with APACHE ® underplanted with low herbs for scent and colour – for balcony and courtyard users seeking compact, manageable planting.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Groundcover shrub rose; registered as KORcatemp and marketed as APACHE ® Ground cover; belongs to the Ground cover collection, suited to park and landscape-style plantings. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tim-Hermann Kordes at W. Kordes’ Söhne, Germany, around 2000; introduced commercially in Germany in 2009, continuing the breeder’s focus on resilient, landscape-suitable roses. |
| Awards and recognition |
Goldene Rose gold medal at Baden-Baden 2009, Bronze Medal and Irwin Award for resistance at the National Rose Trial Garden of Australia 2013, plus journalists’ recognition at Monza. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous, spreading groundcover shrub reaching about 50–90 cm in height and 60–100 cm spread, with dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness forming a compact carpet. |
| Flower morphology |
Single, flat, cluster-flowering blooms of medium size with approximately 5–12 petals; remontant with abundant second flush, and good self-cleaning that limits the need for manual deadheading. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Intense scarlet-red flowers, ARS MR, RHS 46B outer, 46A inner, holding colour excellently; blooms deepen to a ruby-red tone rather than fading, with bright golden stamens creating strong contrast. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very weak fragrance with a classic rose character that is only lightly perceptible, making it suitable where scent is not a priority and strong colour and resilience are the main selection criteria. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces moderate numbers of small, spherical red hips around 8–12 mm across; ornamental in autumn without creating heavy seeding, adding a discreet seasonal accent to established plantings. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7 and hardy to approximately -26 to -23 °C, with very good resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust, plus tolerance of warm, moderately dry conditions in well-prepared soils. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun, planted 40–75 cm apart depending on use; 4.0–4.8 plants/m² for groundcover. Suits flowerbeds, edging, hedging and mass planting in low-maintenance private or public schemes. |
APACHE ® offers vivid red groundcover, strong disease resistance and reliable repeat flowering on a durable own-root framework, making it a reassuringly straightforward choice for long-term structure in family gardens.
