Kniphofia
Torch Lily or Red Hot Poker
“Red Hot Poker” is the local nickname for these bold handsome natives of Madagascar and tropical South Africa. Brought to England in 1707, they were kept as greenhouse treasures until 1848, when someone had the bright idea of planting them outdoors, and their abiding hardiness was discovered. The old-fashioned orange and yellow form has survived years of neglect in abandoned gardens here on the coast; the new hybrids and species we offer, in versatile creamy-yellows, chartreuses, soft melons and louder colors, are more suitable to modern schemes, but are just as hardy and reliable. The thick, almost succulent leaf blades are mostly evergreen, and of interest even when the cylindrical flower spikes are absent. Heat and drought tolerant.
Flaunting one of the brightest, most rotund torches we have ever seen, this jaunty Kniphofia was discovered by Gretchen Hahn, a former staff member, in the backyard of a local north coast resident. Unknown to us and most likely a hybrid of Kniphofia uvaria ‘Nobilis’ which has naturalized in our area, it bears the owner’s namesake. The large radiant florets graduate in color, beginning on top with a salmon hue that shades to tangerine and then transmutes to antique gold supported by a lemon-yellow base.
Bolstered on bronzed olive-tinted stems above brawny medium green leaves, the exuberant display can be staged alongside Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ for unbridled oohs and awhs!
Blooms August – September.
Size: 3' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 7.
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Other selections in this genus:
- Kniphofia albescens
- Kniphofia ‘Alcazar’
- Kniphofia ‘Bees Lemon’
- Kniphofia ‘Bees Sunset’
- Kniphofia ‘Bleached Blonde’
- Kniphofia ‘Border Ballet’
- Kniphofia ‘Bressingham Sunbeam’
- Kniphofia caulescens
- Kniphofia citrina (Lime Select)
- Kniphofia ‘Cobra’
- Kniphofia ‘Coral’
- Kniphofia ‘Dorset Sentry’
- Kniphofia galpinii ‘Orange Flame’
- Kniphofia ‘Gladness’
- Kniphofia ‘Glow’
- Kniphofia ‘Goldfinch’
- Kniphofia ‘Green Jade’
- Kniphofia ‘Ice Queen’
- Kniphofia ‘Incandesce’
- Kniphofia ‘Light of the World’
- Kniphofia linearifolia
- Kniphofia ‘Lye End’
- Kniphofia ‘Minister Verschuur’
- Kniphofia ‘Moonstone’
- Kniphofia ‘Nancys Red’
- Kniphofia x ‘Naudes Nek’
- Kniphofia ‘Painted Lady’
- Kniphofia pauciflora
- Kniphofia ‘Percy’s Pride’
- Kniphofia ‘Safranvogel’
- Kniphofia ‘Safranvogel’ x ‘Maid of Orleans’
- Kniphofia ‘Shining Sceptre’
- Kniphofia sp. (Patricia Marrow)
- Kniphofia ‘Sunningdale Yellow’
- Kniphofia ‘Tawny King’
- Kniphofia ‘Timothy’
- Kniphofia uvaria ‘Candle Light’
- Kniphofia uvaria ‘Malibu Yellow’
- Kniphofia uvaria ‘Tower of Gold’
- Kniphofia ‘Vanilla’
- Kniphofia ‘Wayside Flame’
- Kniphofia ‘Wol’s Red Seedling’
- Kniphofia ‘Yellow Cheer’
- Kniphofia ‘Yellow Hammer’
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