Possible Clues:

• Cowardly
• Weak, purposeless
• Lacking courage
• Cowardly son unfortunately sleeps in
• 'The South has no backbone and no conifers, either (9)'
• Weak, without purpose
• The South has nothing in the way of forestry, and nothing back there, either
• Cowardly, lacking backbone
• The south could be without something like 15 across strong enough to back it
• Yellow roses are not