Hi Marilyn, I've posted a picture of my Betsy's Purple in the database taken 5/6/16, first bloom of the yr for this plant. Confusing as mine has green calyces & Robin Middleton's has black, oh well, maybe hybrids & crosses. Bought mailorder spring 2015, first bloom fall 2015. Extremely mild winter probably helped to bloom this early.
Amistad did not take the 12F nights that we had in a recent winter. Bought Betsy's Purple after reading good reviews in butterfly & hummer forums as rec for climates too cold for Amistad. I prefer my plants in the ground. Excited that bloom is near hook for hummer feeder (as you can see in picture). Almost 8 ft to tip of bloom but directions are to cut back by a third after flowering. Good idea as it's almost touching the ceiling of the porch overhang!
