Red Hot Poker

Brief Description 

The Red Hot Poker blooms brilliant yellows, reds, and oranges from late Spring to early Fall. The dense, erect spikes are very unique, and the wispy grass-like-leaves are pretty. They are easy to grow & maintain, and they’ll surely catch your attention. This is an absolute must for your landscape because they are special plants!

Origin

Cameroon, South Africa, Madagascar  

Description 

Common Name – Red Hot Poker

Botanical Name – Kniphofia

Plant Type – Deciduous

Mature Size –  up to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

Sun Exposure – Full Sun 

Bloom Time – Summer

Flower Color – Numerous Colors 

Hardiness Zone – 5 to 8 

Planting

Getting your Red Hot Poker in the ground is simple. Find a prominent location in your landscape and plant it there. You want this front and center because it’s beautiful! Because it doesn’t need much space, your options are many, as long as it’s in full sun. As with any new planting, make sure the roots stay moist during infancy. 

Care

The Red Hot Poker doesn’t require much care, which is yet another reason we love this plant. One thing we would recommend (but you don’t have to) is that you deadhead the flowers because that encourages new flower growth, which is the primary reason to have it in the first place. Because this plant is rhizomatous, you may need to trim at the bottom if the plant begins growing too wide. In spring, trim it to 6 inches tall and that will ensure vibrant new-growth and thriving flowers year after year. 

Flowers 

The Red Hot Poker is also known as ‘Torch Lilies’ because the flower spikes resemble torches. This plant has ‘pokers,’ which are tic-tac-shaped flowers, all together forming a cone looking shape at the top of the stalks. 

Varieties 

The ‘Shenandoah’ variety red pokers on top, which then transition to yellow. The ‘Mango Popsicle’ has stunning orange pokers. The ‘Ice Queen’ has lime-yellow pokers on top and light-yellow flowers at the bottom. 

Invasive

It is not invasive. 

For other shrubs that are perfectly suited for Greater Prescott, read about the Chaste Plant here.

Lastly, we highly recommend Watter’s Garden Center, Mortimer Nursery, or Prescott Valley Nursery as great places to both purchase shrubs & trees but to also ask questions because these are the experts.