Here is my SA which has a richer golden color that the rose you are showing. My SA is a strong grower but I've never seen it throw out long "octopus" canes like you are showing so I'm guessing maybe your SA is misnamed.

I have two, and both grow straight up. It is a hybid tea/shrub type of rose. Neither threw any octopus canes. Mine flower in clusters, and I am sure I have ever seen one solitary bloom at the end of a lax cane.

I love the rich golden color-- bordering on orange with cool nights. Doesn't look like you received South Africa. So you should definitely get it, it's really a neat rose!

Mine is struggling in less than complete sun, and may not be a good plant. I've seen enough to know I want it, and plan to order it in the spring.

I've grown South Africa for three years. It's a favorite. The habit has always stayed nice and bushy, never sending out any octopus arms (unlike most Kordes roses in this climate).

WIrosarian, do you find your South Africa to be hardy for you? It's a glorious picture that gives me hope. I've lost mine in at least 3 tries in what turns out to be a harsh area of my zone 5 garden, so I'm interested to hear your experience. I love the color and want to try it again.

Cynthia

Wirosarian your SA is beautiful, I love that warm rich yellow color.

Cynthia, yes it survives well for me. I have 2 of them, both from Palatines & on multiflora roots. Planted bud union 3-4" below ground. I do not winter protect them, they die back to the soil line but have always come back very nicely each spring, so crown hardy-YES, cane hardy-NO. I do try to keep a 3-4" layer of wood chips mulch over the entire bed & I think this helps prevent freeze-thaw cycle damage to the roots.

So it looks like , mine is not South Africa after all, mine came as a summer sun and I sent a picture to kordes roses and they said that it is South Africa..:( I will mail them again..

Foliage on South Africa is VERY Glossy also a clue...

Thanks WIrosarian - i suspect this is one of those roses that grafting helps. I'll give it a try again this spring with Palatine.

Cynthia

I'm skeptical that that is a Kordes rose at all. I don't know who the grower/distributor was, but might be worth getting the label, and researching the other cultivars (Austins, etc.) which they might carry. It seems probable someone in the field hung the wrong tag on a mislaid plant based on bloom color.

Philipatx, it came out to be kordes moonlight , a climber . It started giving me much more pink hues as it matured ..