The registered bud count for this is 12 buds and I seem to recall confirming that average bud count with the hybridizer after seeing it bloom in my own garden; however, THIS year, it is FAR MORE than that. As of June 16th, I have four scapes with counts of 27, 32, 42, 56, for an average of about 39 buds per scape!!! I have not fertilized this plant or done anything special to it. It is in the same spot as last year, but this year it is more established and I think that has a lot to do with the substantially higher bud count. It is also a bit taller this year than last year, too.

2016 first (four) blooms appeared on Father's Day (6/19). Interesting, considering last year it's first blooms were on the Fourth of July. This plant likes to make it's appearances on holidays, it seems. :D
Last year (2015) was it's first year in my garden and the first blooms last year on Olallie Keith Stone's Sunset *were* a crimson red and, later, blooms were a bright orange... But these first four blooms this year (2016) are an unmistakeably coppery, gold-dusted color, and the petals are still highly recurved. It's gorgeous! And all four of these blooms were definitely fragrant from about 8" (give or take) away.

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