The change in thorniness had me scratching my head, until I noticed that the thorny cane has seven leaflets, while the rest of the rose has five. It doesn't look like what I've seen as far as RRD, which would include distorted leaves (and they look fine on yours). It also doesn't look like 'Dr. Huey', which I remember as being far less thorny. But then again, that's not the only rootstock out there.

:-)

~Christopher

That the lower leaves are turning a normal green before the upper ones is a good sign.

You may just have a really great basal break. It would be nice to harden it enough in your zone 5 to get some of it through winter.

Generally, when "hyperthorny" Rose Rosette happens it has much denser than those thorns, the growth is so fast that when you first notice it the all the thorns are still rubbery to the touch and the cane itself is rubbery. Your leaves look good. So does the cane.

I don't think it has RRD.

Compare the leaves from this cane to the rest of the plant. If it's the Dr. or some other root stock they will look different. Otherwise, to me it does not look like RRD. The RRD that I've seen has WAY MORE thorns and the leaves are very contorted. I think it is some kind of root stock coming up. You need to dig down and find the source of the cane and destroy it if it's root stock. What does the other suspicious growth look like?

It doesn't look like RRD. It also doesn't look like Dr. Huey. I would cut it off as far down as you can and then watch to see if it regrows next spring.

Thanks so much for your quick responses! I got home late from work tonight so I haven't been able to dig down and see if it's rootstock or not. I will take a look and add some pictures tomorrow of the odd growth I've been seeing. Im probably paranoid after reading all of the posts about RRD. It's such a relief though! This is one of my favorite roses.

IIRC, St. Cecilia doesn't have flat, hooked thorns, so it is probably a rootstock sucker. Dr. Huey does have this type of thorns.

I lost my St. Cecilia to RRD a couple of years ago, but I've forgotten exactly what the bad growth looked like. However, I'm pretty sure the pictured cane is not RRD.