yeah, those 'buds' give me trouble, too - this damned thing just has me captivated - ( I tried e-mailing a photo to Monrovia, but their 'Contact Us' mail, doesn't allow attachments ) - I've never seen any purple plants, other than just the budsites, and a bit of leaf - it certainly is fascinating (and, I'm VERY medicated now, lol) - I'm like a cat, you can keep me amused for hours with a piece of yarn, and, now, THIS