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When a plant isn't anything like the description...

FireFire Posts: 19,096
edited May 2018 in Plants
I am finding that many plants I order online have flower colour nothing like the website description. This is especially true of plants with red flowers. I recently ordered a clematis Nubia because it is advertised as having "strong red tepals", "deep red flowers", "glorious rich velvety-red star-shaped flowers" , flowers that are "exceptionally dark red".  The ones I have received are nothing of the kind, they are standard pink - entirely pink, not vaguely red.

Rebecca is the same, advertised as "pillar box red", which it is not.


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  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Don't even start me on "blue" roses!!!!!
    Devon.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Hi Fire
    I've had Rebecca for a few years now - more of a deep red velvet - the photo doesn't quite match the real colour


    Maybe your plants just need to adjust to their new home..

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    Have you contacted the supplier and sent them a pic for comparison? I'm curious what they would have to say about it..

    Colour of blooms on plants is a strange thing sometimes. I have an Azalea which in the light soil at my last home was definitely tangerine, here on a clay soil it was red.

    Disappointing for you though as you bought it wanting a dark red. 
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I find that with reds too, always more pink than red. The only exception so far is rose RD Braithwaite which is an as-advertised pure crimson red. Purples always veer on the side of lilac/mauve in my climate too, except Allium Atropurpureum which is a rich dark purple claret and Salvia Caradonna is a true purple. Still waiting to see if rose Crimson Shower is very pale pink again this year - out of curiosity, I have just teased open a half open bloom and it appears to be TOTALLY WHITE!!

    Can’t grow Clematis here, sadly but if anyone can recommend a good dark red climbing/scrambling rose I’m all ears...
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited May 2018
    I'm also interested in finding a dark red clem. I have yet to find one. My Ena Harkness rose is properly dark red.

    I'm wondering if these plant sellers are breaking a trade description. I would think so, if they so baldly and directly state a colour.


  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Can’t grow Clematis here, sadly but if anyone can recommend a good dark red climbing/scrambling rose I’m all ears...

    take a look at Souvenir du Docteur Jamin - the scent is wonderful too

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited May 2018
    AAh, I just put in Dr J last autumn. The plant is looking good and healthy, but pretty small at the mo. No flower buds yet. Pete, have a look at Ena if you can find some to smell and touch. It goes from dark blood red to crimson.




  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Sorry Fire, hijacking your thread to talk about roses! I will have a look at those two suggestions, thanks, tho I think The Doctor needs more shade than I have...

    I suspect suppliers will get off with saying actual colour is subject to your conditions, though worth contacting them and letting them know - when I complained to DA about Crimson Shower they sent me a replacement, also pale pink, then another alternative rose as a replacement for that. I still have all three. Doesn’t help with your red clematis tho!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited May 2018
    Well, I would be interested to find out if the colour is apropos my conditions. And how these things work. Does soil / sun / ph affect the colour of roses or clems in a replicable, measureable way? I will contact Taylors and gently ask about Nubia.

    Watching Chelsea on catch up, I see that Nubia is up front, as it is launching there this year, although it has been available to buy for a while. I would say it's much closer to magenta than "dark red".




  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    That looks lovely Fire.
    I had a Dr.J growing on the N-side of a pergola. It was lovely but didn't really thrive and got smothered by the other roses.
    I do need to get a couple of ramblers (white/pale pink) tho to re-cover my rather bare pergola, but that's a project for another time.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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