Happy to see some semps taking on strong color here in September, particularly those with deep dark centers, here's a few of them.

Semp 'Big Six-O' looks great throughout the season, in fact the center approaches black color in late season.



Still waiting for cultivar color divergence in two KV crosses from a related cross, not seeing it yet, 'Big Six-O' at the top, 'Dragon's Eye' at the bottom. Regardless, the deep black centers are awesome, what incredible color.
@jungleshadows


Semp 'Intensity' is wonderful, very dark centers, on the left is an overhead view, on right is a slight oblique overhead view.


Again I show 'Bitter Chocolate', the center keeps getting darker and darker in late summer, outstanding! The chicks are even darker than the hens.


Relatively new to the forum is Kevin's 'Holly Jolly', here's what it looks like now in early Sept, nice dark centers.


Semp 'Viking: bright red all season long. With our monsoon-like intensely rainy summer, this one shed perhaps 50% of it's leaves due to excess moisture, this view shows hand-tweasered rosettes almost half-size after tweezering <---good semp term.

Tiny 'Mars' is coming on strong with nice bright colors in full sun.


'Red Hot Chili' is also coming into some color change since the weather cooled down.

Really nice colors on your semps, Mark & Lynn! I'll have to go see what mine are doing. It's getting more like Fall around here. Our low was 53 last night. It's time to start getting some of my tropicals back inside. It's so nice that semps can stay outside!

We are not into the low 40's at night. The semps are very happy.

valleylynn said:Tiny 'Mars' is coming on strong with nice bright colors in full sun.

'Red Hot Chili' is also coming into some color change since the weather cooled down.

Lynn, your 'Mars' looks a lot more colorful than mine, I do like it's small size, had one rosette flower, just collected seed off of it yesterday. 'Red Hot Chili' has that rich tan coloration that I like so much, another one for my want list!

We're in a hot spell again, supposed to be low 90s today, then high 80s next few days.

My 'Mars' has been in drought conditions, and really seems to love it. I think that is why it's color is so bright now.

Mark,

So glad my kids are doing well.

Kevin

JungleShadows said:Mark,
So glad my kids are doing well.
Kevin

A few more September photos taken this evening before it got to dark.



Can hardly wait for spring when this one does it's tamale thing. This one goes through quite a swing in colors. Love it.


Starting into it's dark faze.


And this one in the spring will be almost black.

Lynn,

Have to tell you the story on Hot Tamale.

There is a very famous restaurant in MS called Doe's Eat Place. The food is fantastic and their tamales are the best I have ever eaten. Just amazing. Several presidents, astronauts, and Miss Americas have eaten there. The place is rather ramshackled though. My mom wouldn't get out of the car there!

Anyway, when I was going over the seedlings this one had that same odd sort of color that was in the grease from Doe's Eat Place tamales. That's how it earned its name!

Kevin

Now I must go out and taste it.
You just made me very hungry Kevin. And yes, I have seen that color in some Mexican food. It is a certain chili that gives that color. And the aroma is wonderful. Hmmm, wonder if 'Red Hot Chili' smells good?

Kevin eew nasty I don't have this one, maybe it isn't a must have

Greg,

Obviously you'd not had a GOOD tamale! I just bought a package at Trader Joe's (and they're not near as god as Doe's Eat Place) and will make some chili to dress them. Now I will MAKE SURE you have one of the semps for your garden so you can think about that grease! That orange-red color is unique and didn't occur in the other Killer seedlings.

Had brunch at Word of Mouth Cafe' today. Had a gift certificate so it was FREE. That place is SO good as you remember from your visit here. I won't need ANYTHING for dinner, however. What a meal! I imagine Jim and Bev are now thinking of brunch there too.....

Kevin

Kevin I loved eating at that place!! AND yes please I'll take a 'Hot Tamale' semp!

My 'Killer' is in it's bland mood - mostly green, it is only there for a couple weeks and then back to lovely!

Greg,

My Killer has the barest of red at the leaf bases but you can see the color coming. What a fun parent it is too. Don't know where I'd be without it.

and yes Word of Mouth is WAY cool. I came at a good time so it wasn't such a zoo, although still busy. Yesterday's special was lemon bar pancakes with blueberry compote. It was amazing although I had just one so i would have room for the hash.

Hmm, why am I hungry again???

Kevin

Wow Lemon bar sounds lovely!! Same here with 'Killer' a touch of red at the base with indication of what's coming...The colors are usually so crisp on this semp, it is just late summer that it looks a little washed out

Yes the folks at Word of Mouth conferred the taste of a lemon bar into a light fluffy pancake.

We'll have to go back on your next visit!

Kevin

Lynn -- I like your Glowing Embers.

Lynn all of those semps look spectacular, for me, Glowing Embers and Schwarze Rose are standouts.

OK So we have a semp that looks like a hot tamale. Which semp looks like these lemon bars of which you speak? Dang I really need to make some tamales now.

Glad you like 'Glowing Embers'. It is one that I have grown for only 5 years. Seems to handle our rainy season well.

Here you go BigT.