Kniphofia

( nih - FOH - fee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly referred to as Red-Hot Poker or Torch Lily, these flowering perennials need full sun to partial shade and moderate to regular water to perform well in the landscape. The bright flowers will attract pollinators such as hummingbirds to the garden. Each inflorescence is comprised of tubular, overlapping flowers grouped into clusters. Foliage is somewhat grass-like. Blooms will open from the bottom of the spike to the top and will change color as they mature. Plants vary in size, shape, and flower colors. Grow Kniphofia in mixed beds and borders to add dramatic vertical interest, in pots, or simply as eye-catching tropical-looking specimens throughout the landscape.

Kniphofia Species and Varietals

The genus Kniphofia includes 73 species and is a member of the plant family Asphodelaceae. The genus is closely related to Aloe, Asphodel, Eremurus, and Haworthia. The best growing zones for Torch Lily include USDA hardiness zones 5-9, though this will vary depending on the species; see the descriptions below for more information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Kniphofia galpinii (Galpin Red-Hot Poker, Torch Lily, Red Hot Poker, Salmon Poker)
This species grows best in USDA hardiness zones 6-9 or Sunset growing zones 3-9 and 14-24 and is native to South Africa. It reaches 2-3 feet tall and wide, and has narrow, grass-like green leaves. Flowers are red at the tip and fade to orange at the base and bloom in early summer to fall.

Kniphofia spp. Hybrids (Hybrid Kniphofia)
These cultivated varieties were bred for their flower color, height, and disease and climate resistances. They are mainly crosses between Kniphofia uvaria, Kniphofia galpinii, Kniphofia pauciflora, Kniphofia triangularis, and Kniphofia praecox. Cultivars are listed and described below:

'Alcazar'
To 3-4 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. Crimson flowers fade to salmon-orange/ yellow.

'Backdraft'
To 3 feet tall and almost as wide, with peach and yellow blooms.

'Barton Fever'
To 25-50 in. tall compact with soft apricot-yellow flowers.

'Bees' Lemon'
Compact to 2-3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. With bright lemon-yellow blooms.

'Bees' Sunset'
To 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide with yellow-orange blossoms.

'Border Ballet'
Compact to 18-24 in. tall and a little less wide. Light peach blooms.

'Bressingham Comet'
1.5-2 ft. tall and 1-1.5 feet wide. Orange-red flowers.

'Brimstone'
3 feet tall and wide, with yellow flowers.

'Butter Brickle'
To 20 inches tall and wide, with butterscotch-gold flowers.

'Buttercup'
Bright yellow blooms on a 2.5-3 foot tall plant.

'Christmas Cheer'
3-4 feet tall with 5-6 foot tall flowering stems topped with red-orange blooms.

'Citron'
Dwarf to 14-20 in. tall with yellow-green flowers.

'Cobra'
3-3.5 feet tall with copper to cream colored flowers.

'Coral Flame'
To 3 feet tall with coral-red floral spikes.

'Daybreak'
14-16 in. tall with butterscotch to red flowers.

'Elvira'
24 inches tall with fiery orange flowers.

'Fiery Fred'
Orange flowers on a 40-60 inch tall plant.

'Fire Dance'
18-20 in. tall with yellow tubular flower spikes.

'Flamenco'
Yellow flowers on a 24-36 in. tall plant.

'Flashpoint'
Cream-white to chartreuse blooms on 4-4.5 ft. tall plant.

'Gladness'
Compact to 30 in. tall with orange blooms.

'Green Jade'
Lime green to cream flowers on a 3-4.5 foot tall plant.

'H. E. Beale'
To 4 feet tall with apricot-orange blooms.

'High Roller'
Red and white flowers on a 3-4 foot tall plant.

'Incandesce'
To 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide with orange blooms.

'Innocence'
3.5-4 feet tall with cream white and salmon flowers.

'Joker's Wild'
3.5-4 feet tall with vibrant orange blooms.

'Jonathan'
To 3.5 to 5 feet tall with salmon and yellow flowers.

'Lemon Popsicle'
To 20 inches tall with lemon yellow spikes.

'Little Maid'
18-24 inches tall with white-yellow blooms.

'Mango Popsicle'
To 30 inches tall in bloom with bright mango-colored blooms.

'Minister Verschuur'
To 40 inches tall with bright yellow flowers.

'Moonstone'
Caramel blooms atop a 3-4 foot tall plant.

'Nancy's Red'
To 18-24 in. tall with rose-pink blooms.

'Nobilis'
To 5-6 feet tall with salmon and yellow flowers.

'Orange Blaze'
Orange flowers on a 2.5 foot tall plant.

'Orange Vanilla Popsicle'
To 14-16 in. tall with cream-white and red-orange blooms.

'Papaya Popsicle'
12-24 in. tall with bright red and papaya-colored blooms.

'Peachy Cheeks'
12-24 in. tall with peach-colored blooms.

'Percy's Pride'
3-4 feet tall and half as wide, with lemon colored blooms.

'Pineapple Popsicle'
With light yellow and cream flowers on a 18 in. tall plant.

'Primrose Beauty'
To 2 feet tall with Primrose-yellow flowers.

'Primrose Upward'
Primrose-yellow blooms on a 45 inch tall plant.

'Prince Igor'
To 7 feet tall with red-yellow blooms.

'Redhot Popsicle'
To 1.5-2 feet tall with bright vermillion flowers.

'Rich Echoes'
Apricot-yellow flowers on a 2.5-3.5 foot tall plant.

'Rocket Jr.'
To 12 in. tall with bright pink-red and gold flowers.

'Royal Standard'
To 3-4 feet tall with red and yellow flower spikes.

'Safranvogel'
Coral and cream blooms to 28-32 in. tall.

'Samuel's Sensation'
To 5 feet tall with bright salmon colored flowers.

'Scorched Corn'
Beige and cream colored flowers on a 3-5 foot tall plant.

'Shining Scepter'
Tangerine and cream-yellow blooms on a 3-4 foot tall plant.

'Sunningdale Yellow'
3-4 feet tall with bright yellow flowers.

'Tawny King'
4-5 feet tall with dusky apricot blooms.

'Timothy'
Peach-salmon to cream flowers on a 3-4 foot tall plant.

'Toffee Nosed'
Rust-brown to cream flowers on a 3-4 foot tall plant.

Kniphofia northiae (Giant Red Hot Poker, Giant Torch Lily, Octopus Torch Flower)
This species grows in zones 4-9 and 14-24, and is a large species that forms a 1-3 foot high trunk that sprouts bluish green succulent leaves in a single rosette, similar to Aloe spp. This species does not form clumps as others tend to do. Flower stems are 1-2 feet taller than the foliage, and support inflorescences of orange buds that open to a light yellow.

Kniphofia x praecox (Kniphofia praecox) (Greater Red-Hot Poker)
This hybrid is a cross between Kniphofia uvaria and Kniphofia bruceae, and forms a clump of narrow grass-like foliage. Flowers bloom atop upright long flower stems that reach up to 5 feet tall. Flowers start off scarlet red, transitioning to reddish-orange and then yellow as they mature. This species is considered invasive in California, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Ecuador, and regions of the United Kingdom.

Kniphofia rooperi (Rooper's Red-Hot Poker, East Cape Poker, Torch Lily, Lentevuurpyl, Winter Poker)
This South African native grows best in USDA hardiness zones 7-10 or Sunset growing zones 4-9 and 14-24, and reaches to about 4 feet tall. Leaves are evergreen in mild regions. Flower cluster is egg-shaped and is yellow at the bottom fading to orange at the top, blooming in wintertime in their native range.

Kniphofia thomsonii (Thompson's Red-Hot Poker, Torch Lily, Alpine Poker, Red-Hot Poker)
This is an alpine species native to East Africa that grows best in USDA hardiness zones 6-10 or Sunset growing zones 6-9 and 14-24. It forms clumps 3-5 feet tall and 2-4 feet wide, and has narrow blue-green leaves. Blooms are orange. Variety 'Triploid Form' reaches 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide with orange-red blooms, and 'Stern's Trip' is also a great garden cultivar.

Kniphofia triangularis (Dwarf Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily, Mandarin Torch Lily)
This South African native is best when grown in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 or Sunset growing zones 3-9 and 14-24 and reaches 2 feet tall with grass-like foliage. Flowers are bright coral and flared at the tips, blooming in midsummer through fall. Similar in looks to Kniphofia galpinii.

Kniphofia uvaria (Tritomea, Torch Lily, Red Hot Poker)
This species grows in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 or Sunset growing zones 2-9 and 14-24 and its flower stems reach 3-3.5 feet in height. Flower buds are coral red and open to reveal orange or deep yellow flowers in summer. Blooms will appear later in the year in cool-winter climates. Many varieties sold under this name are hybrids. This species is considered invasive in Oregon and California (United States) as well as regions of southeastern Australia.

Caring for Kniphofia

Grow Kniphofia, or Red Hot Poker Plant, in full sun. Ideally, these plants bloom and grow best when they receive between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day. In the warmest climates, they may appreciate some late afternoon shade during the warmest times of the day. They require soil that is well-draining and moderately fertile with a pH of between 6.0 and 7.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Water newly planted Kniphofias regularly to help them develop strong root systems. At maturity, these plants also appreciate regular waterings, especially during their blooming and active growing periods in spring and summertime. They do not do well in drought, and in summer they can even tolerate boggy conditions.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with a application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. In cooler-winter areas, leave foliage on the plant so that it can protect the roots and new growth when it pops up. Leave clumps in place for a few years before dividing, which is best done in springtime. If the species is still blooming in spring, wait until summer to divide clumps. For information on how to divide Kniphofia plants, see the Propagation section below. Kniphofia plants can survive for up to 10-15 years before needing to be replaced. They form clumps over time that can be divided, providing new plants indefinitely for the landscape.

Propagation

Kniphofia, or Red Hot Poker plants, can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Kniphofia, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Kniphofia by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Kniphofia by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil, compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the rhizome root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.

Kniphofia flower inflorescences hold the seeds for the next generation of plants.

Kniphofia seeds are small, irregularly shaped, and dark brown.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Kniphofia, or Red Hot Poker plants, are susceptible to developing issues with the following: