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Nasturtium Black Velvet

YessicaHaircutYessicaHaircut Posts: 164
in Plants
I was wondering if any of you have grown this and can give me a bit of feedback about the colour. I'm a sucker for 'black' plants was hoping for a dark crimson like in this picture.

The plants I've ended up with are much more vibrant - very lovely actually, but totally wrong for the position I've planted them in. 



I'm wondering whether my seeds are actually another variety of nasturtium, or whether this is just what N. Black Velvet looks like and the photos I've been looking at are misleading. On googling, there seem to be some pictures that show the darker colour and others that look more like mine. I'm wanting to figure out if it's worth buying more seeds next year and trying again (actually, probably time to sow more this year), or whether I'm definitely just going to get more of the same?
Sussex coast
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited June 2023
    I grew them a few years ago and they were certainly nice and dark, although they fade as they age, like most flowers.
    I found them difficult to get viable seed from though, and the following year no one had them and I bought one called Tip Top Mahogany instead, which was very nice, but definitely not quite as dark. 
    I'd say yours might not be B. Velvet though. I'd have to load up my old photos though, to be able to be more accurate.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    edited June 2023
    It depends on which pics you look at Sarah Raven's pics are a perfect match to your.

    https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enGB785GB785&hl=en&q=tropaeolum+majus+black+velvet&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiCnJGyrej_AhULS8AKHSATDFoQ0pQJegQIChAB&biw=1280&bih=577&dpr=1.5

    Quote RHS..
    Tropaeolum majus Black Velvet
    "A bushy annual to 30cm with light green, circular leaves supported on central stems. In summer through to early autumn flowers open deep red with a velvet texture providing a striking contrast to the leaves"
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I had the opposite experience with purple emperor. I got them to add a pop of purple and they were far darker than your black velvet look but along the lines of pictures I found on Google. 
  • YessicaHaircutYessicaHaircut Posts: 164
    Oh the joys and frustrations of growing from seed! Most of the purple emperor pictures look like a pretty subtle purple/rose. Funnily enough mine look exactly like pictures of tip top mahogany. :/ I may get another packet of black velvet from a different source and just sow a couple to see if they're any different. I've sown some nasturtium milk maid to replace the black velvet(?) as I've been trying to enjoy them where they are, but the colour is just annoying me.

    I'm thinking I might try salpiglossis black trumpets next year if the second lot of nasturtium black velvet are no better.
    Sussex coast
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Milkmaid is often yellower than many of the pix suggest, so this is where it can be difficult.  ;)

    A lot of photos are deliberately touched up in terms of colour, which doesn't help, but some colours are also quite difficult to capture accurately.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • YessicaHaircutYessicaHaircut Posts: 164
    Yes, I was hoping milkmaid wouldn't be too yellow.  :D Ah it's all an adventure! 

    Ladybird rose is looking like another contender for next year - looks like it might work well in with my creams, apricots and 'blacks'.
    Sussex coast
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'll load up my old pix and see if I can give you an idea of both.
    Nasturtiums are often like other plants where the flowers alter quite a bit with age, so they can look much paler at times.
    Milkmaid is still a nice light colour though   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • YessicaHaircutYessicaHaircut Posts: 164
    Thank you, seeing your pics would be great. As you say, I never quite trust that ones from sellers haven't been tweaked. They're also always cropped so tight. I wish they would show a picture where you can see the habit clearly. The images are often so tightly cropped on the flowers you can't even get a sense of whether they're 5mm or 5 inches, and as someone that's only been gardening a couple of years, there are so so many plants I've never seen before - or at least never noticed. I always google to try to see an image of the full plant but it can be surprisingly difficult to find decent ones.
    Sussex coast
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    These are B. Velvet from about 6 years ago




    These are also B. Velvet from 9 years ago - the first year I grew them






    These are Tip Top Mahogany from 3 years ago. You can see there's a bit of variation anyway, but there isn't a huge difference in the colour. 


    These are also T.T.Mahogany from the same time


    These are Milkmaid from many years ago






    Hope that helps  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • YessicaHaircutYessicaHaircut Posts: 164
    It does - thank you! It's confirmed for me that black velvet are the wrong shade for me even when darker - too orange. I was wanting something that leans more blue. Milkmaid looks gorgeous against that black planter btw. :)
    Sussex coast
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