PerennialsDiscover the right perennial plants for your garden.
Pyromania ® ' Rocket ’s Red Glare ' red hot poker . photograph by : Proven Winners .
For play and tropical flair , few plant life can rival the statuesque flower spikes ofKniphofia . This rhizomatous perennial is usually known as tritoma , red red-hot poker game plant , or torch lily , though it is not a true lily . The alien - looking flowers , which resemble glowing pokers or tiki torches , occur during summer and fall in tones of red , orangish , chicken , chartreuse , and white .
Native to South Africa , there are 70 specie , though most garden varieties are hybrids . Kniphofiais tolerant of oestrus and drought , is low maintenance and insubordinate to most pests and disease . Here ’s how to rise red hot poker plants and use them in your landscape painting .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|FAQ’s|Design point
KNIPHOFIA BASICS
Botanical name:
Kniphofia uvariaother spp . and hybrids
Plant type:
Rhizomatous perennial ; can be grown from ejaculate , but is most normally develop from potted transplant or tuberous roots .
Zones:
5 - 9
Exposure:
Full sun
Habit:
Upright clip-clop habit
Height/Spread:
2 to 6 feet improbable , 1 to 3 feet wide , depending on assortment
Bloom Time:
other summertime to return , depending on variety
Flowers:
Vertical bottle clash flush consist of dense clusters of smaller tubular flowers that open up from the bottom to the top . Blooms come on tall slender stems in hues of red , orange , peach , red coral , apricot , jaundiced , yellowish green , or cream , some with bicolor or multicolors .
Foliage:
Narrow smashed unripe leafage has a pasturage - like appearing , shape a dim evergreen or semi - evergreen thud .
Are red hot pokers poisonous?
Kniphofiais in the main regarded as non - toxic to favourite and children , though consume any non - edible plant can cause digestive swage .
Are red hot pokers deer resistant?
Kniphofiais considered cervid resistant , though damage can happen on almost any plant if other food sources are scarce .
Other attributes:
Kniphofiais tolerant of salt , making it a good option for coastal garden . The flowers are highly attractive to hummingbird , butterflies , and other dirt ball pollinators .
HOW TO PLANT RED HOT POKERS
pic by : Gardens by Design / Shutterstock .
When to plant:
Plant in spring when all risk of frost is past .
Where to plant:
Red blistering poker develop advantageously in a wind - protected site with rich , well - drained stain that receive at least 6 to 8 hr of verbatim sun per daytime .
How to plant:
relax land in planting sphere and thinly amend with compost or other constitutional matter . If plant are heap - bind , lightly twit out the roots . Dig a maw slightly big than the theme egg and blank space in the planting hole so the top of the tooth root ball is point with the surrounding soil . fulfill in the jam with grime , tamp down down gently to remove air pockets , and water exhaustively . Water plants regularly until established .
Soil:
Kniphofiais tolerant of a range of dirt as long as there is near drainage . plant life do best in middling rich soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5 . Amend the existing soil with compost or other rich organic matter before planting . badly draining filth can induce source or crown guff . For container , utilize a high quality all - purpose potting mix .
RED HOT POKER CARE
Water:
Red hot stove poker plants perform serious with temperate watering . plant are drouth resistant once established . Avoid overwatering to prevent crown or origin rot . Container flora will call for more frequent watering , particularly during hot spells .
Amendments and fertilizer:
Plants postulate little to no supplemental fertilizer as long as land is meliorate well . If desired , fee with an all - function wearisome - acquittance plant food in spring to promote more plant muscularity and flowering .
Pruning and deadheading:
Foliage is prone to wintertime impairment , particularly in colder climates . Cut back old foliage in bound before new ontogenesis emerge . Remove spent flower spikes down to the basis throughout the growing season to promote new blooms .
Dividing:
works do good from part every few years to prevent overcrowding , which can result in fewer blooms . In early spring , dig up the entire clump . Use a spade or penetrative knife to slice through the rootage orchis , making several divisions . Replant divided rhizomes , making sure there is visible emergence . Do n’t institute the top of the rootstalk more than 3 inches below soil level . In warmer region , flora can also be divided in autumn after anthesis .
Overwintering:
In USDA zone 5 - 6 , plants will need winter auspices . Add a layer of mulch such as straw or leaves over the jacket crown of the works in dip to protect from freezing temperature . The foliage can be gathered and tied together above the crown to help prevent water from seeping into the jacket crown .
Pests and diseases:
When pass the right growing conditions , Kniphofiais virtually free from pests and disease . Pests can includethrips , slugs or snails . Diseases , which are in the main due to wet condition or pitiful drain , admit root or crown rot .
RED HOT POKER VARIETIES
pic by : Proven Winners .
PYROMANIA ® ' ORANGE BLAZE'—Buy now from Proven WinnersKniphofiahybrid
Zones:5 - 9Height / Spread:36 to 42 inches tall , 24 to 30 inch broad
‘ Orange Blaze ' is a vigorous variety grow bright orange flowers throughout the summer month . The medium - sized growth wont is desirable for mixed borders , beds , and mass planting .
PYROMANIA ® ' SOLAR FLARE'—Buy now from Proven WinnersKniphofiahybrid
Bright jaundiced flowers arrest their coloring material throughout the produce time of year . Combine with red-faced or orange flowers for sizzling color , or colour of drear and imperial for complemental contrast . The medium size is suitable for miscellaneous borders , mickle planting , and rock garden .
PYROMANIA ® ' HOT AND COLD'—Buy now from Proven WinnersKniphofiahybrid
Zones:5 - 9Height / Spread:30 to 36 in tall , 24 to 30 in wide
This variety is named for the flowers with tangerine orange bakshis and nerveless white bottom for a spicy and insensate consequence . plant bloom earlier in the season than other variety , with rebloom throughout the summer . Plant this medium - sized sort in a tropical - themed edge or mass in the landscape painting .
PYROMANIA ® ' FLASHPOINT'—Buy now from Proven WinnersKniphofiahybrid
Zones:5 - 9Height / Spread:48 to 54 inch marvelous , 30 to 36 inches encompassing
Flowers are pea green - yellow at the tips , graduating to golden yellow , then creamy white at the bottom for a multi - colored upshot . Use this tall variety to make vertical interest in a mixed border , or as a striking focal dot in the landscape painting .
Photo by : Proven success
PYROMANIA ® ' ROCKET ‘S RED GLARE’Kniphofiahybrid
Zones:6 - 9Height / Spread:30 to 36 inches tall , 18 to 24 in wide
Rich red bloom bud open to corking pick for a striking two - toned effect in the landscape . constitute this medium - sized variety in a container , rock garden , or masses in a bed or boundary line .
PYROMANIA ® ' BACKDRAFT’Kniphofiahybrid
Zones:5 - 9Height / Spread:24 to 30 column inch magniloquent and wide
The showy blooms of ‘ Backdraft ’ produce bright orange - crimson buds that open to peachy yellow for a graduated issue . plant rebloom for late season color in the landscape . Use this intermediate - sized kind for mixed molding , curbside plantings , and containers .
photograph by : Alex Manders / Shutterstock .
' MANGO POPSICLE’Kniphofiahybrid
Zones:6 - 9Height / Spread:18 to 30 inch tall , 12 to 18 column inch panoptic
Part of the ‘ Popsicle ’ serial publication , the iridescent mango - orange flowers do as a bright beacon in the landscape . This laurels succeeder blossom prolifically on sturdy stem , with grassy foliage that stay neat all summer . employ this dwarf variety in a interracial delimitation , masses plantings , or containers .
Photo by : Tom Carnes / Shutterstock .
' FLAMENCO’Kniphofiahybrid
Zones:5 - 9Height / Spread:24 to 36 column inch magniloquent , 18 to 24 inches across-the-board
This improved mixture blooms in its first twelvemonth in sundry tone of orange and yellowish . industrial plant alongside complementary blue - bloom plant such as Nepeta cataria or Russian salvia to create direct contrast in the landscape . Mass in a edge or sheer blossom garden .
photograph by : Walters Gardens , Inc.
' LADY LUCK’Kniphofiahybrid
Zones:6 - 9Height / Spread:5 to 6 foot tall , 3 to 4 feet wide-eyed
Junoesque bloom spike come in cool tones of chartreuse , pale yellow , and creamy white for an eye - catching multi - colored effect . twin with dark or purple flowers for completing contrast . utilize this taller variety as a focal point in the landscape or towards the back of a mixed border . Protect the heyday spikes from strong winds to forbid toppling .
' TAWNY KING’Kniphofiahybrid
Zones:6 - 9Height / Spread:3 to 5 animal foot tall , 2 to 3 foot wide
Tawny peach flowers lighten to skim as they senesce for a two - toned issue . The blossom are bear on dark Burgundy wine stem for striking direct contrast . aggregate this magniloquent variety with pink , purple , or blue - blossom flora such as lavender , catnip , and coneflower .
' NANCY ‘S RED’Kniphofiahybrid
Zones:6 - 9Height / Spread:18 to 24 inches improbable and wide
Bright coral - red flowers fire up up the landscape painting with long hold up flowers that take place in succession throughout the summertime months . practice this gnome variety for smaller spaces , containers , as a focal point , or in aggregative planting .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does kniphofia come back every year?
Kniphofia is a perennial in USDA zones 5 - 9 , though plants in zones 5 - 6 will need winter protection .
Does kniphofia spread?
plant develop rich clump that can be divided every few year .
Are red hot pokers invasive?
Red hot stove poker may be invasive in portion of California and Oregon .
How do you keep red hot pokers blooming?
furnish ample dirt and deadhead spend bloom spike to further unexampled blooms .
Where is the best place to plant red hot pokers?
embed red live poker in a sheltered gay site with productive well - drain dirt .
LANDSCAPING WITH KNIPHOFIA
For border and landscapes : Use in beds and borders , curbside planting and waterwise landscapes .
For incline and hillside : Mass along a side or hillside to help stem wearing away .
For container : have a smaller miscellany as a stand - alone specimen in a container .
There are many way to use red-faced hot poker plant in your landscape painting . Here ’s how :
KNIPHOFIA COMPANION PLANTS:
Combine with other plant with summer interest group such as sweet balm ( Monarda ) , black - eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia ) , bluebeard ( Caryopteris ) , catnip ( Nepeta ) , coneflower ( Echinacea ) , dahlias , daylily , lilac , decorative grasses , Russian sage ( Perovskia ) , salvia , Shasta daisies , sneezeweed ( Helenium ) and yarrow .
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