here’s the seedling! It got very tall last year and it’s just starting to leaf out. I didn’t prune it back. As far as cold tolerance, charleston south carolina isn’t the best test, but we got below freezing down to 20F a couple times this year. Looks like it’s going strong! I just wish it would throw out flowers 
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Lol! Yep. That’s pretty much the architecture of my EA that I neglected to prune. As Kim has groused, the great health notwithstanding, Kordes roses frequently have architectural issues akin to those of Austin’s. (I personally don’t mind if it’s healthy, survives our summers, and blooms enough.)
We may have frost tonight here in Central Texas only to see temps shoot back to to 95 this weekend, so that might give some idea of the abuse my plants have to withstand.