A worth saying! “Life begins in the garden.”
As a newbie gardener, I tried to grow and germinate a lot of flower species in my garden. I wanted to attract a bunch of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
Nonetheless, I tried many times and failed. Another quote, “whenever you fail you get a new experience. So I got the experience & found a breeze easy flower species for me and you.
Here I’ll share all my experience with this unique specie. This guide is for both the people who already have a garden and want something grand to enhance its beauty or attract wildlife friends.
Look no further. Red Hot Poker plant ends your seeking. Red hot torch lilies is easy enough to grow and care. It enhances the beauty of your outdoor gardens.
So here is the question, “what is red hot poker plant?” How to grow red hot poker plants?”
And “what is red hot poker torch lilies?”
Keep reading! I’ll explore all things and accompany you till the end. You can ask queries through comments or Contact Us.
What Is Red Hot Poker?
Red hot poker plant belongs to “Liliaceae” family (but they’re not indeed Liliaceae family) and its botanical name is “Kniphofia.” It is also known as Torch Lilies and Red hot poker. This follower specie usually 3 to 5 feet tall and has pure bright color flowers with sweet nectar.
It stem surrounds with bar shaped leaves and bright tubular torch lilies. Tubular flowers expel little torch lilies, these small torch lilies give a sensation of breaking star while dropdown.
Its evergreen perennial and sweet nectar persuades little birds and flies, e.g. hummingbirds, butterflies and bees etc.
Cultivation and History
This mouthful Red Hot Poker flower is named aptly with their rich, bright colors.
A German Botanist “Johan Hieronymus Kniphof” discovered this specie and did its classification basis of Genus. In Genus honor red hot poker carries the name Kniphofia.
Kniphofia Uvaria persists in 5 to 9 USA hardiness zones. Red hot poker plant belongs to a native S.African Lily family. In the USA, over 60 species thrives of this native red hot plant.
Usually, it grows up to 5-feet tall and expels several various colored tubular flowers like torch bee. Its variation of species produces different torch lilies flower colors, i.e. yellow, bright red, orange and pink.
Varieties
Red hot pokers have 60+ species in the Kniphofia genus, but mostly exist in hybrid propagation. Kniphofia hybrid torch lilies produce bright red, orange, and yellow color spikes. Hybrid red hot pokers reached 2 feet height and flower spikes & stalks go up to 2-3 feet tall.
Well known red hot specie “Kniphofia Uvaria” commonly reaches 4 feet in height. Its propagation is best in spring season, it grows well and reaches its best height within each spring season to summer end. Red hot poker plant is compatible for long summer season.
It blooms your garden with bright torch lilies flowers and brightens the nights as long as summer by sensation of drop-down ornamental tubular lilies. These blooming ornaments attract birds and butterflies and also favorite of hummingbirds.
Species (variety) of Red Hot Poker
Kniphofia Red Hot Popsicle
Popsicle kniphofia produces red flowers and its stem grows to 2 feet and the plant occupies about 1.5 feet.
Pineapple Popsicle
Kniphofia pineapple Popsicle has all red hot Popsicle characters except flowers. It produces yellow color red hot poker flowers.
Mango Popsicle
Same as red hot poker Popsicle characteristics except for flower. It grows with orange flowers.
Kniphofia Ice Queen
It surrounds 2 feet and grows up to 4 feet tall. It produces light yellow or lime yellow color flowers and usually known as dull white
Kniphofia Uvaria
This variant species commonly grew and got 4 feet height with flower. It produces two-toned tubular torch lily flowers.
Kniphofia Lady Luck
Gardeners don’t like this specie. It grows too tall near 5.5 feet and surround 3.5 feet wide area. Lady luck produces white flowers.
Companion Plants for Red hot poker
I’m looking for best companion match to grow side by side with red hot poker plant. I found a lot and upon experience, I found a few these as best companion plants for red burning torch lilies.
Coreopsis
Coreopsis grows in dry, hot summer season. It produces yellow color flowers and makes a blend with well bloomed red hot torch lilies.
Artemisia
Artemisia species can be the right partner for red hot pokers. Its grey leaves blend well with blooming flowers.
Coneflower
Coneflowers enhance bright color combination.
General Info
| Comman name | Red Hot Poker, African flame, torch Lilies |
| Botanic name | Kniphofia |
| Plant type | Herbaceous Prennial |
| plant family ( Specie) | Liliaceae , Asphodelseae |
| Sun exposure | Full Sun |
| soil type | Well Drained |
| mature size | 2 to 4 feet in height |
| Flower color | Red, yellow, off white, orange and Bi-color |
| hardness zone | 5 to 9 |
| native area | South Africa |
| soil ph | Neutral |
| Spread | 1 to 3 feet wide |
Benefits to the Gardens
Its bright color dense erect spikes attract birds.
Red hot pokers last spring to far end of summer and blooms eye-catching multiple colors torch lilies.
Bright color torch lilies look like bi-color flower. When flower matures it exhibit the deep shade and later upon blooming it splashes faded exotic color.
Red hot poker plants have many varieties that can ornament your garden with many shades of erect tubular lilies.
Drought, deer and rabbit tolerant, Kniphofias attract butterflies and are a favorite of hummingbirds.
Virtually disease free. No significant insect or disease problems.
It can be propagated by division or be grown from seed. Division should be done in the spring or late fall.
Red Hot Poker is not recommended for human or animal consumption.
How to Grow
Here are some core steps to thrive red hot poker plants. Red hot poker plant complies with full and takes adequate space. Red hot poker propagation can be done with seeds and division.
To grow kniphofia plant, you can buy seeds, take from other gardening friends, or obtain from torch lilies. When these fall, spikes filled with dark brown grain. Collect the seeds and dry them.
Now you’re ready for red hot poker propagation. Keep the seeds in chilling environment and leave to ready for germination.
Red hot lily plant require full sun, well drainage and cold treatment for 4 weeks. Once the seeds have chilled, sow them for 6 to 8 weeks.
Sow 3 seeds in a soil filled container. Keep the indoor container side and maintain moisture and 21 to 30c grade temperature. After 3 to 4 weeks, roots will start germination, and now you safely transplant them in a prepared gardening bed.
In most warm regions, you can sow them directly in prepared soil. The red hot plant takes a little much time in growth, so you expect blooming in the next period.
Growing Tips
Light
Red hot poker grows in a warm climate. It requires full sun.
Water
It requires modest level watering, frequently during planting.
Soil
Its seeds are though perennials. Well-drained soil is more appropriate for red hot poker plantation.
Spacing
Keep a minimum of 18 to 24 inches space between each other.
Planting
Sow 3 seeds in one container or prepared garden. Burry the origin 3inches deep or less.
Container/ Pots – Indoor Thriving
Red hot poker plant is not appropriate and recommended for indoor plantation because upon maturing, its spikes and spreading is near about 2 to feet that are not suitable for indoor gardening.
Last word
Were you looking for something with an exotic air in garden? Multiple color blooming flowers, sensational tubular littler torches downfall, little birds…………. Kniphofia! A red hot poker plant is the best choice for YOU.
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