I think its MAGNIFICENT! Lucky you. Barbra

Benfica

Or some other dark red!
:-)

MAGNIFICENT! is how I feel about it, not its name. I think its gorgeous. I love the bloom. I think it looks just like the Benficia, that Maria posted. Barbra

Gorgeous!I cannot wait to see it open.

Not meaning to jump your thread but does 'Estella' even exist? I've bought maybe 6 of them this season and not ONE turned out correctly labeled? Most are 'Misty'?!? I really would love an actual 'Estella'....

Donna, I can't wait to see this baby open :) It looks VERY interesting!

Josh

Good question, Josh, but I am pleased as I don't have a Benfica, the only dark red I have is Red Pearl...this one is so dark, the same dark burgundy as the burgundy in papilio, if not darker!! I guess what confused me was the stripes that will probably get absorbed by the dark pigment...even the ovule (I think thats right, the part that becomes the seedpod) is dark red...

Donna

Josh,
I bought 4 Estella bulbs this season. Three were labeled correctly, I think????? One was a mis-labeled cybister, "La Paz".

The color of my Estellas was washed out due to the high temps in my growing area. I was surprised as to how long the flower stems were. Most were 30+" (75cm).

Jim

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Dear Donna,

I think that Maria is correct and you received a mislabeled Benfica, but whatever your dark mystery turns out to be it is surely beautiful.

Josh,

Two years ago, in January 2009, I purchased three bulbs of Estella. Despite my best care, none has ever bloomed (and one died for no apparent reason).
I do think that Estella exists or existed. However, it is likely that none of us has received a correctly labeled bulb of this elusive trumpet.

Jim,

I do not think that your bulb is Estella. Instead, to my eye, it appears to be a sad, stressed Sweet Lillian.

Best regards to all, Blanca

I agree Blanca!!

Well, I had a bit of trouble posting pictures, Picasa lost all the links, but they're back now...

My Benfica has finally opened all the way and what a beauty.. I just can't get the color right, have taken a dozen pictures and they all come out too purple...anyway, the color is a very, very dark velvet red, just lovely and it's a 6 "+ flower. In the pictures it looks just like my Red Pearl, but since they're not both out I can't compare...take a look and see if you still think it's Benfica.. Thanks,

Donna

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These were taken without flash and I still couldn't get the color right!

Here is Red Pearl:{{gwi:378836}}