Red hot poker, Kniphofia uvaria spp. and hybrids, are one of the most durable perennials for the garden. Native to South Africa and Lesotho, the red hot poker can grow in a variety of gardens throughout the world. I first became aware of the flowers of this plant when I was a kid, going to a picnic in Salina, KS. These were growing in a large clump in a stream-side garden in one of the parks of the city. It was July, and they were blooming.
Its really amazing the memories you can bring up about something from so long ago. It must have been at least 30 years ago. But now, I have red hot poker in my garden. I remember too, how it got there. My wife has a great aunt who was sharing some of her perennials with me after I pruned her apple trees. She offered me “lilies” and I though I was getting either daylilies or lilies, not red hot poker. But I found out that if the foliage looks like daylilies, people in Northeast Kansas call it all lilies.
Where Will it Grow?
Red hot poker will grow in Zones 5 to 9, depending on cultivar. A lot of the new Proven Winners cultivars are Zone 6 to 9, so make sure you are checking the tag before your buy. With the new adjustments to the hardiness zone map, you may be able to grow them in your area, as long as you account for winter cold extremes.
It will grow in full to part sun, but prefers at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Plant it in well-drained soil, or on a slope where water drains away during a rain. I have heavy clay soils in my gardens, but I can grow red hot poker because everything is on a slope, and the water only sits in the old low parts of the original terrace. They do not like soggy soil or standing water.
Characteristics of Red Hot Poker
The leaves are thin and strap-like, similar to daylilies or Siberian iris. And they are semi-evergreen. In warmer climates, the leaves will remain green all winter long. However, last year’s foliage should be removed or cut off in late winter, before the new growth comes out in the spring.
The flowering spike is made up of many, small tubular flowers which begin blooming from the bottom going up. Flowers can be orange, red, yellow, or white, and fade to dull yellow after blooming. Thanks to breeding programs, there are more colors than there were 30 years ago, and many double-colored varieties. Red hot pokers bloom from late June to September, and will continue to bloom longer if you deadhead, or remove the spent flower spikes at the base.
Animal and Insect Associations
Red hot poker is considered to be deer resistant, though deer may eat almost anything when no other food is present. Blessedly, we gardeners do not usually grow a monoculture in our gardens. And while other mammals do not eat the foliage, I have had a problem with grasshoppers. They can strip the foliage quickly before you even realize it is happening.
The flowers are visited by a number of nectar seeking animals, including long-tongued bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. If you are gardening to attract hummingbirds, then you should plant as many plants with tubular flowers as possible.
Companion Plants for Red Hot Poker
In garden, you would not usually consider a massing of red hot poker, but some people do. I prefer to plant companion plants together for a succession of flowering from April to October. The attractive foliage of this perennial makes it a good companion for a lot of other perennials and grasses. Certainly, you would want to plant it with other heat and sun loving perennials and grasses.
- Blazingstars
- Bearded iris
- Native grasses
- Gaura
- Russian sage
- Yucca
- Giant Rudbeckia
- Rose verbena
- Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush’
- Ornamental onion
- Agastache
- Curlycup gumweed
- Oriental lily
- Catmint
- Salvia
Cultivars of Red Hot Poker
Plant sizes vary in size from small (1-2 feet tall and wide cultivar ‘Little Maid’) to the giant (5 foot tall ‘Royal Standard’) with anything in between. Proven Winners has come out with the Pyromania® Series with 6 colors thus far. But there are also other growers with their own cultivars. Check out some of the varieties:
- Pyromania® Backdraft is orange fading to yellow. It is 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
- Pyromania® Flashpoint is bright yellow, fading to white. It grows 4 1/2 feet tall by 3 feet wide.
- Glowstick is from Darwin Perennials and is bright yellow, growing 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
- Pyromania® Rockets Red Glare is fire engine red, fading to yellow, and grows 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide.
- Pyromania® Orange Blaze is a an all orange selection, growing 2 1/2 feet tall by 2 feet wide.
- Orange Vanilla Popsicle has red and white blooms, slightly orange, and grows 3 feet tall by 2 1/2 feet wide.
- Ice Queen is an all white variety, growing 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide.
- Incandescence is a cherry red variety growing 4 to 5 feet tall by 3 feet wide.
- Redhot Popsicle is a tropical punch colored cultivar, growing 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide.
- Pyromania® Hot and Cold is orange-red at the top and white underneath, fading to yellow. It grows 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide.
Conclusion
The red hot poker plant is a great addition to the sunny cottage garden, a sunny border, or any spot needing height or color during the summer. If you are looking to attract hummingbirds to the garden, then plant some of these heat loving perennials. Or you can add it to a tropical garden for its bright colors.
Happy planting!
