Hi Feegle,

I have two plants that are a pretty good dark red. They are Ace's Red Ember and Powwow. Both of them are variegated. If you want a good dark red I would definitely consider Powwow. The picture below shows up real true. Ace's Red Amber is a pretty good dark red also. As you said the camera can be deceiving and in the picture below the camera washes Ace's Red Ember out a little bit. As far as being a real red I find that both satisfies that definition. Here are pictures of my violets:

Powwow:

{{gwi:380100}}

Ace's Red Ember:

{{gwi:380104}}

I hope this helps.

Larry

Larry, they're so beautiful!! The pic of Powwow is the colour I'm looking for. The pic of Red Ember (on my screen) looks quite fuschia - is this what you mean by washed out?

How big are these plants? Are they standards?

I will add Powwow to my short list.

Thanks so much,

Feelge

Feegle - I love dark reds as well. I also recommend Powwow - it's stunning I think (it's a standard). Here's an image of mine:

{{gwi:380108}}

I also think that George McDonald appears to have some excellent reds in his 'Mac' hybrids. I have several of them including Mac's Exquisite Extravaganza and Mac's Rouge Rogue. They're all at the plantlet stage yet, so this winter should prove to be a fun time watching them all
bloom. Mostly all of his are semiminiatures, which I like as well.

I also have Lyon's Paprika (again still a plantlet) and the images I've seen do look gorgeous. Another one that you don't have on your list that I think might fit the bill is Cinnamon Candy (standard). A plantlet of mine bloomed and it's definitely what I'd like. I have Night Fever and that one is burgundy - lovely, but not red.

Another red that I think is quite nice is Ma's Red Rover (standard). So far it's doing very well for me and it's colour is holding nicely.

More info that you probably want ..... so enough!

Joan (forecasting snow for tomorrow ...... oh joy)

Feelge (??), all reds will tend towards the purple end; the original species are all purple, so anything else is a mutant. (bwa!) I have Rob's Love Bite, and it's a tad purple under fluorescents (and daylight; I just checked). It's still gorgeous, with crown variegation.

Funny, I just purchased a NOID deep red for cheap. Well, it will be red; it's not flowering right now, and I just repotted it a few days ago. Now don't faint, but it's a standard.

Korina the Shocking

'Lets go be bad guys.' -Jayne

Hi Feegle,

Yes, as Joan said, powwow is a standard as well as Ace's Red Ember. Red Ember is a little darker than the fuchsia it appears to be in the picture.

Larry

...but it is not as dark as powwow though.

Larry

You guys are fantastic!!!

That Powwow is definately going on the short list. Standard or not....

Joan, that was definitely *not* too much information. It is just what I'm looking for. Mac's Rouge Rogue is one of the ones I'm really drooling over (based on the AVSA site pic).

Korina, it's a good thing I was sitting down when I read that post. I remember you lamenting getting saddled with a semi some months ago. How times change....

Thanks again. Keep the feedback coming...

Feegle

~doing the I'm-gonna-get-this-list-pared-down dance

I like Rob's Love Bite and Omaha Thunder. The little one is very dark red on variegated foliage. Omaha Thunder is a nice shade of red on well shaping dark leaves.
Debbie

PowWow is a good red, as are Buffalo Hunt and Emergency. The Tomahawk is not as red as I would like. The important thing is, is to NOT look at them under your growlights. Can make a huge difference. Mac's Southern Springtime is also a good red with a white thumbprint. So is Vampire's Kiss. But the really "red" one will always be PowWow. I have a bunch on your list, and PowWow is definitely the reddest here. Joann

Feegle, I'm still whining about the semi. The red was purchased in a fit of madness; I found a spot that my beautiful white std. likes (the one that hates fluorescents), and I realized there's space for one more; if I move this over, and stack that...

Korina (I'm not mad, it is *you* who are mad, utterly mad...)

Bwa ha ha

You might take a look at both "Cherries'N Cream" - Single red-fuchsia star with white edge. Dark green, plain, pointed, red back leaf, or "Emergency" - Vibrant red, single to semidouble pansies trimmed with fluted white edges, wavy deep green foliage. Both are very large, both of mine are 15 inches and are still young plants. They are both very close in color, more the vibrant red than the fuchsia. I can't made up my mind as to which I like best, kind of like which child do I love most. Both are very pretty, I got them from The Violet Gallery on line, very pleased with quality of plants.

Hey!

I thought you people were supposed to be helping me pare this list down, not extend it!!!

No, really, this is great. I've short listed the plants you've mentioned, so come Spring I can keep my eyes peeled for them. Maybe I'll try one mini and one standard and see if that satisfies.

Feegle

-sigh- i have a really nice true garnet red--but it's a NOID. :(

throws suckers all over the place--i actually have three of them now.

Who cares if it's a NOID!!!

Colour is colour when colour is what you're looking for.

Feegle
~keeping my eyes open for that perfect red in need of a good home....

i'd happily send you one if a) it wasn't winter and b) you weren't in canada--aren't there issues with shipping plants across the border?

Janet,

Check your email.

Feegle

Hi Feegle,

I agree with everyone about Powwow. But I'd have to say the most stunning red is a chimera called Radiance from LLG: RADIANCE A dark shade of hot coral, single and semidouble stars, are boldly striped in dark red/purple in the petal centers, and flecked with purple fantasy glitter. A sport of 'Sparks Fly'. Variagated foliage, small standard

OK, it's not a true dark red, but the combination of colors give it a dark red glow in any lighting.

It is a bit sensitive if grown in too much light.

The colors are so similar, that it's actually hard to tell that it's a chimera, and the fantasy does look like glitter, it reflects so much light it's hard to tell that it's purple unless you bring it out into full sunlight. It's a beauty that stands out on it's own.

Russell

Last month at the Delta Gesneriad and AV Society show in Sacramento I bought a nice starter of 'Emergency', and yesterday it opened its first flower. I am impressed. It is a large flat dark red with a fine white edge. The petals have a pleasing wavy edge. The foliage is dark and not variegated, which I prefer. I noticed this one is on your list and mentioned by two others, so I am adding another vote. The white edge really sets off the flower.

Jon

Here's a pretty one! It's named arcturus. It sounds a little like 'Emergency' in that it's dark red with white edge, but here's a link:

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=589802&uid=127049

Jill

Here is a link that might be useful: Arcturus

Thanks for the link, Jill. Mauna Loa could make me change my mind about chimeras!

Korina

Okay so this post is ancient but I too am still searching for a true red. I have a few of the ones mentioned above but so far nothing really stands out as a true red or a bright red. The prettiest red I have found is Lyon's Red Rocket. It's not a true red but a deep crimson red with a large flower.

In all fairness, Emergency and Bob Serbin are pretty but seem washed out compared to the Red Rocket (although I am looking at the first blooms of both small plants). I have more starter plants of other reds but don't know how they will bloom yet.

Anyone know of any other new ones that have come along since the last post in 2005?

Okay so I was bored today and went reading through the old posts. :)

Erica