Same thing happens to my 'Yantai" blooms during the hot summer temps in my climate.

I've seen it. Not sure I have a photo of it.

And I've always been able to smell it . . . Our senses of smell are way different. Honestly, that's part of why we first thought it was 'Devoniensis.' (And why I think Bill Grant thought so, too.)

Definitely has to be related.

I've not been able to detect anything from Jesse other than a bitterness until that flower. The Devoniensis Michael and Don brought me has had an actual sweet-fruitiness to it from each flower it has produced. I pulled the petals from that flower and let "The Nose" smell them. He agreed it was nearly a magnolia scent.

Well, I've never actually smelled 'Devoniensis' -- but Jill Perry and I could both smell "Jesse Hildreth" in the Cemetery. So could Clay Jennings. And there aren't that many Teas that I can actually smell, so that impressed the Hell out of me.

Yes ma'am, that's what impressed me about Devoniensis and finally being able to smell Jesse.

Kim, I see NO possibility that "Jesse HIldreth" isn't closely related to 'Devoniensis,' 'Lamarque' and the rest in that line. Not that that gets us any forrarder.