PlantFiles: Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily, Tritoma
Kniphofia uvaria

This plant is amazing! I'm growing some that were divided from a clump from my aunt's garden. She got her clump when my grandmother divided her garden about 15 years ago. My grandmother originally put red hot pokers into her garden when her family divided my great-grandmother's garden. My dad said he would go to that garden as a toddler and play near the red hot pokers but was afraid to touch them -- because he thought they truly were red hot! That makes my species over 50 years and 4 generations old and they still thrive. I divide clumps among my friends every few years and they are beautiful.

i have grown mine from seed in a pot and this is the 3rd year and it has multiplied so greatley it needs to be split up. this year i had many blooms on it and it has tolerated tremends abount of abuse (i had surgery so was laid up for a while and depended on others to water) during the winter what i have done was make sure the pot is close to the apt.(near the door to get any escaping heat) and wraped the pot in bubble wrap and it has manged to make it till the spring. please forgive my spelling. thank you .

These are super tough hummingbird magnets! The second Fall after I bought this house, I moved one out from deep under a large forsythia and planted it next to our driveway. It was in such bad shape, I thought it was a daylily. The very next summer, it surprised me with no less than eight blooms.

By chance, that same spring I had also started some kniphofia from seed and had five more. These I planted in one large cluster in the backyard. Last summer we had dozens of hummingbirds visit our yard. One pair in particular never strayed far from this cluster of kniphofia. The only plant more popular was the red canna. This was the first time I'd ever been able to sit on my deck and watch hummingbirds at virtually any time of day. Amazing! I'm planting more of these this Spring.

I started this one from seed in zone 7b in 2003. 1st blooms were late spring 2005 and they were awesome! There were about 15 on just 1 plant and the vibrant colors could be seen from quite a distance. It rebloomed with fewer and more muted colored spikes in July. One of my favorite plants in my garden.

These plants' flowers are truly magnificent!!! Their flowers stand erect on thick stems. As flowers age the bottom flowers age to a yellow and then fall off from the base of the stem to the top. They produce very bright colours. In Australia, these plants are extremely popular for our dry, extreme landscape. They are relatively cheap here, too-- around $20-$25 for a large pots with some plants in a clump (usually around 8-12). Great plant!!! Make sure it always, always has well-drained soil!!!. Plants perform better if they are deadheaded; and if old, dead leaves are removed from the base. Everyone in any area where they grow should try growing this plant. Very good for beginners. pokerboy.

I bought my first bulbs in March and one has bloomed and is starting a second bloom. The other two plants have not done as well but we have had alot of rain. I am glad to find this site to hear about gathering of seeds and to hear that they have done well in Athens, Tx. since we only live a few miles from there. The color is marvelous, very bright. We look forward to happy gardening!

This plant provides color to an otherwise dreary winter garden. Also is deer-resistant.

I live in South Africa where the "red hot poker" grows wild.The firey colour attracts birds and bees and when they are in full flower. It just oozes nectar and this draws the birds. Also the birds notice the flower from afar, due to some special, unusual pigment factor - it's the ideal flower if you like wild birds.

They are hardy plants, but want to be left alone/ undisturbed for a good few years after planting until they grow so many offspring that they must be divided. Once planted leave it in-situ for some years until the plants crowd each other out. That way you will get bigger and taller flowers.

I am not sure if I like this plant or not. It started out fairly small and has grown tremendously over the past few years. The candles are bright and enjoyable, but don't seem to last for very long. The base itself is full. As a matter of fact, this particular plant now takes up about 7 feet in diameter.

A wonderful plant! I started with one bulb three years ago, now I have eight. It also grows in a planter just as well. It likes full sun and is very low maintaince.

I like this plant because it's unusual. I always get lots of hummingbirds with this one! I also get a few larger, bright-colored birds that eat the nectar.

These hardy herbaceous perennials produce poker-like heads from midsummer to autumn. The flowering spike is often described as two-tone because flowers on the bottom open first showing a different color than the upper buds. It has thick sword shaped leaves. There are many hybrids, as well as true species; in color they range from yellow and orange to red.

Kniphofias like well-drained, fertile soil in full sun. It is essential that the soil does not remain wet in the winter. Give plants a mulch of well-rotted manure or compost in spring. To propagate, lift and divide clumps in late spring.