Kniphofia red hot poker plants
Kniphofia are tough, long-lived, architectural perennials producing striking upright blooms on tall flower spikes from spring through to late autumn. These densely packed, pendent, tubular flowers set the garden ablaze in fiery shades of oranges, reds and yellows, genuinely resembling their common name of 'red hot pokers'. They're produced above a tufted mass of mid-green, strap-like, evergreen leaves, preferring a position in full sun. Pronounced "nee-FOF-ee-a", these stalwarts of the flower garden are easy to grow, drought tolerant once established and will happily withstand the salt-laden air in coastal gardens. Typically reaching around 1 metre tall, kniphofia are perfect for adding stature to the middle of a mixed or perennial border and work particularly well in planting schemes with hot colours such as oranges and reds, or as a contrast to wispy ornamental grasses to add a dramatic burst of colour and texture. They grow best in a slightly heavy soil, making them well suited to water edges and naturalistic settings, and can be lifted and divided to avoid congestion and aid vigour.