The red may have been because it was grown for sale in a greenhouse not out in real sun.

Niobe is a reddish purple (plum) for me, the buds look more red but I would never say it is a truly red, maroon or burgundy.

i disagree w./ 888 ,but this very problem- agreeing on words to describe colors- is why the Royal Hort Soc color chart is the only way to go! I would NEVER call Niobe 'plum'. I call it maroon, w/ a little blue present in that maroon.It is the only clem I have found that has that color. The August blooming clematis Gravetye Beauty (a saturated dark red)comes close to Niobe's color.

sorry I have no idea as to 'why'.
best,
mindy

following 888's lead, here is a link to web photos that make niobe look plum colored. my 4 niobes do not resemble these shots.

http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=27
best,
mindy

Thanks to both of you for your comments. I may not have been clear enough in my initial question. My Niobe has no red, plum, maroon or anything near that color in it. It is bluish purple and seems to be getting bluer as the flowers stay open. I took a picture of it, but it was bluer in the picture than in real life so I don't think that would help.

Regardless of how you describe the color of Niobe, mine is nowhere near that color. I was hoping I could correct it in some way. Thanks again.

It sounds like there were two clematis in that pot you bought and the blue/purple one is the one that survived.

Highly possible. That there were two in there and Niobe croaked or....if you planted it where you thought a blue/purple one had died the blue/purple one did not die and is now blooming.

In my garden in the Pacific Northwest Niobe is Plum, meaning a dark reddish purple. It is darker than Rouge Cardinal, Ruutel and Sunset which are also reddish. It is not as red as red wine or as red as my laceleaf Japanese maple's leaves are both of which I'd call Maroon or Burgundy. Not as red as my barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' or 'Rose Glow' either.

I just searched and didn't find a picture but I remember taking some so they may still be on a picture card.