Here's a picture of mine so people can see they don't look red at all.

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Yours is redder than mine. If you go over to the wintersowing board, you can see quite a few pictures.

Becky

I've got approximately 50 plants blooming at the nursery. Only two or three are red like the picture that has been used to promote this plant. The rest are poor variations.

I think this could be one of the biggest disappointment plants of all time. It is the color of poop but was supposed to be red. It doesn't get much worse than this.

AHHHHH - If the rabbits would quit eating my sprouts, I could cherish the color of poop!!

echinaceamaniac, it doesn't happen often, but this time I would agree with you! ;) This is certainly up there with other new variety disappointments.

What I don't understand, is why there is so much variability. Yes, it's a seed strain, but other R. hirta types, for example 'Prairie Sun' (what a beauty) is nearly 100% consistent. Is 'Cherry Brandy' just poor breeding, and/or released too soon?

Coolplantsguy - it's no surprise we don't usually agree. You're in Ontario. I'm in Tennessee. We're bound to have different results with many plants. Lol.

My theory is that they released it too soon, and just like Mendel's first generation peas, they come out all different.

To get consistent blooms like the photo, and I haven't seen any very close yet, the seeds would have to be selected from the best performers over 3 or more growing seasons, and still there will be occasional reversions because that's how crossing works. JMHO.

I'm waiting for mine to open and will try to post a photo over on the winter sowing forum when it does. The center is a nice dark cherry color if it doesn't darken. I have 3 plants I got from the Bluestone sale, and only the one has buds on it yet, others are coming along.

My one prairie sun that I grew from seed is exactly like I had hoped, true to promotional photo, loaded with blooms and quite a large plant, have one other one which is slower to bloom (little less sun).

I've never been of fan of the R. hirta that Thompson & Morgan introduces. Benary seems to be doing a much better job.

Since we are somewhat on the topic of Prairie Sun, here's something odd about mine. Last year I winter sowed a few seeds I had saved from one of the plants I bought from Bluestone. When the seedling matured and bloomed last year, the cone was dark brown, the petals somewhat elongated and near the same color as the original plant. I was disappointed. However, this year it came back, and looks exactly like it's supposed to, green cone and everything. I thought it must have been a different plant from last year, but looking at last years photos the placement is exactly the same, so it is the same plant. Weird, huh?

Prairie Sun last year, behind Fanfare gaillardia

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Prairie Sun this year, same place

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Closer look of flowers...so pretty!

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Karen

I am disappointed to hear about Cherry Brandy as I was thinking of getting it next year. But this kind of thing is why I usually wait when new cultivars get introduced.

Has anyone contacted Thompson & Morgan to register their complaints about vast color variability and definitely nowhere near the photos all over web attributed to them?

Maybe all of the people who sowed their seed should contact them. It's too much of a coincidence that people all around the country are having the same results as far as bloom color goes.

I can't grow any Rudbeckia (or Gaillardia) because the groundhogs literally eat them to the ground.

I know how much people were looking forward to this bloom as advertised.

I told them about mine and asked for a refund. They said they would do so. I have also told Harris Seeds.

However, both companies are still selling these seeds and using the same image to promote them. They know it's wrong, clearly by now. I even sent them several links to threads of people posting their photos.