Purple Vs Blue?

[greenthumbnails]

Can someone tell me what is the difference between the purple vs the blue tropicals?  A lot of the ones categorized as "blue" look purple to me like Tina and some that I checked out on Victorias website like Director Moore, Islamorada, etc.  I have a Blink tropical which I would consider to be a blue, although more of a pastel blue (sometimes looks pastel pink or white).  I have been checked for colorblindness and know that I am not colorblind, so it must be something else with the classification system.  Any opinions?

[Julles]

From what I've seen of gardening and gardeners, "blue" is the term given to any color remotely resembling blue, including everything in the purple spectrum.  In other words, since there are relatively few true blue flowers, it's chic to refer to purple flowers as "blue."

Now, in water gardening, there are more blooms that actually are pretty blue.  So I'm as curious as you are.  This has puzzled me for a long time.

[karen J]

I've never been able to figure that out.

However, my brain has overcome that cognitive dissonance by employing the following logic:

1. Red is red, and blue is blue.
2. Purple can be made by mixing red and blue.
3. A purple flower must have some blue in it.
4. Therefore, a purple flower may be said to be blue.

I dunno if you can call that logical. 

Here is a Delphinium that I think is very blue-



This is Electra. Blue, or purple?

[Sean]

There are only a handful of true blues but the bluest blue of them all is N. 'Laura Frase' and I do not know why more people do not seek that one out, this stunning lily has been available since 1960. Here is a link to Craig's wholesale site with an accurate photo representation of Laura Frase...   http://www.lusteraquatic.com/lilies/laura_frase_l.html

Others that are true blue would be N. 'Pamela' (pale blue) , N. 'Electra' (pale Blue).

About 98% of the waterlilies that are classified blue have lavender or purple tones to the bloom.

Cheers,
Sean

[EagleEye]

Sean,
That is truly a gorgeous BLUE. and it's Craigs, which is the coolest.

Steve

[Julles]

Blue Daze is another landscaping plant that is truely blue.

http://www.cornerstonetreefarm.com/vegetation/groundcover/BlueDaze%20030.JPG

That is a beauty, Sean, the Laura Fraze blue lily.

[Sean]

Hi Steve,

Laura Frase is not Craig's creation, it was created by Bill Frase in 1960. Craig just has it on his inventory list of plants for sale.

Cheers,
Sean

[greenthumbnails]

Sean-Thanks for shedding some light on this color confusion, had me perplexed for a while. 

[marla]

greenthumbnails, thanks for this thread another question I always think about and ponder, but have never asked.  There are some interesting insites here.  I love learning like this