My grafted PAT AUSTIN did that the first three years. Nice shrubby growth habit then BAM! Out would come a long climbing cane. She did eventually grow out of the habit. If you want to grow her as a climber then do it now while you still can. Otherwise snip the cane at the base and any others that leap forth. In a few years Mrs. Austin will settle down and be a lady.

BTW, about five years ago I read a post here on this forum from a rosarian who saw PAT AUSTIN growing as a climber in Italy. Descriptive words like stunning, glorious, and magnificent come to mind.

I'm not sure that there is one that doesn't climb. Mine covers the whole fence when it blooms. Its a happy Pat!

thanks for the responses. so this isn't exactly normal, but isn't exactly unusual.

i really like being able to look up into the blooms since they are a bit droopy. you cann't do that well with a 3 foot bush. what i really like is that the blooms of this cane are 1) much fuller than on the rest of the plant, 2)
much much larger, 3) don't seem to turn into ugly little balls. Oh ang color seems to be much more intense-- but it could be that they aren't being burnt up by the sun since its been a bit cloudy this week.

thanks again
diggerb

Unfortunately Pat Austin will never "climb" in the north due to winterkill. If it does send up occasional long canes, they will all be killed over the winter.

A lot of Austins do this, and for me I look at it as a nuisance. When I see one of those jolly green giant canes starting to shoot up, I prune it down to size (preferably before it makes buds on the tips) to keep the bush shapely.