Hot Poker

They are best planted in spring and will reach full height within each growing season. This repeat-bloomer benefits from deadheading to encourage prolific flowering.

This fading then progresses up the rest of the stalk, until, finally, reaching the top, which is last to lose its color. You can also bind the leaves together to create a protective cover for the plant's crown otherwise, it's fine to remove a few unwanted leaves here or there throughout the growing season.

In spring, prior to the growing season, trim the foliage base to a few inches above the ground to give the plant a fresh start for the growth ahead.

Red hot pokers spread via rhizomes, eventually forming clumps that can become overcrowded. You can divide them in spring to minimize overcrowding, but it's often best to remove offsets from the perimeter of clumps rather than dividing clumps down the middle.

Division is upsetting to the plant's rhizome structure, especially with mature clumps. Grow your red hot poker plants in full sun for the best blooms.

They will tolerate some shade and can benefit from afternoon shade in climates with hot summers. These plants need soil that drains well.

They are generally tough perennials, but poor drainage is one of the few things that will kill them. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Asphodelaceae. Kniphofia uvaria. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley.

Royal Horticultural Society. July Retrieved 14 March Allowing the spent flowers to go to seed will also slow down new flower production. In warmer areas, as winter approaches, tie the foliage into a canopy to protect the crown from water accumulating in the center of the plant.

Water accumulation over the crown can cause the plants to rot. This foliage can be pruned back in early spring as temperatures warm.

Cut the foliage back to about 3 inches above the ground. This neatens the appearance of the plant and helps to encourage new foliage to emerge.

In colder areas cut the foliage back in late fall. Apply a inch thick layer of organic mulch around the base of the plant in early spring.

Homemade compost or shredded bark are both ideal for purpose. In cooler USDA Zones apply organic mulch to the crown of the plant in late fall, after cutting back the foliage.

This helps to protect the crown from seasonal frosts and cold temperatures. The easiest way to propagate red hot poker plants is by division. A rhizome forming plant, if the rhizome becomes too large or old flower production may slow or cease.

Division helps to renew the perennial torch lily. Division also helps to prevent the torch lily plant from spreading throughout a bed or border.

This method can be used if you wish to move the plant to another part of the garden. The best time to make divisions is in early spring before the perennial plant begins to produce new season growth.

To divide, dig up as much of the root system as you can. Around the central crown you will notice younger plants or offsets.

Carefully remove these with a knife or sharp spade. Replant each offset in a similar location. You can also grow the perennial red hot pokers from harvested flower seeds.

Simply allow the flowers to go to seed and harvest when ripe. Sow the torch lily seeds undercover in the fall and transplant into the garden the following spring.

Be warned, if these torch lily seeds are from named cultivars they will not grow true to type if sown. Red hot poker plants make great companion plants for late summer perennials such as asters, rudbeckias and heleniums.

Popular with birds, butterflies and pollinators, torch lilies are often successfully incorporated into pollinator or bee friendly gardens.

Finally, these plants also work well in modern planting schemes alongside other garden plants such as dahlias, crocosmias and foxgloves.

A pleasingly trouble free addition to the garden, red hot poker plants are not prone to pest infestations. However the foliage of the torch lily plants can harbour slugs and snails.

Regularly check the foliage for any hidden pests. While chemical controls are available, organic solutions such as applying used coffee ground around the plant are just as effective.

How not to be magnetically attracted to this glowing perennial border of red, orange and blue Enjoy a glowing and colorful garden in late summer or fall.

Glistening in the late season, these While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates.

The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources. Read More.

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Alphabetical Plant Listing. View or Create Collections. Kniphofias change color as the flower matures, exhibiting the deepest shades in bud and fading as the flower opens, resulting in a bicolor look.

Kniphofias have a wide range of flowering times. If you are a fan of Kniphofias, you may want to select different varieties to extend the pleasure of admiring their lovely blooms from May through October!

Kniphofias are rhizomatous perennials which perform best in full sun , in a sandy soil that has been enriched with humus.

However, any deep, moist but well-drained soil will do. They can tolerate partial shade but flowering will be reduced. Good drainage is essential to prevent crown rot Growing up from 18 in.

Provide adequate spacing to your Kniphofias as they may spread up to 3 feet over time 90 cm. Drought , deer and rabbit tolerant , Kniphofias attract butterflies and are a favorite of hummingbirds.

Virtually disease free Kniphofias provide interesting vertical accents in the garden, among other summer-blooming perennials. They look at their best with Achillea yarrows , Helenium autumnale sneezeweed , Hemerocallis daylilies and Rudbeckia coneflowers.

While primarily used in perennial borders , Torch Lilies are also well suited to naturalistic settings , water edges or exotic style combinations.

Alternatively, you may cut the foliage off at the base in late fall. Should be planted in the spring or in the fall.