Kniphofia, also called tritoma, red hot poker, torch lily, knofflers or poker plant, is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Asphodelaceae, first described as a genus in 1794. It is native to Africa.
Herbaceous species and hybrids of Kniphofia have narrow, grass-like leaves 10–100 cm (4–39 in) long, while evergreen species have broader, strap-shaped foliage up to 1.5 m (5 ft) long. All plants produce spikes of upright, brightly coloured flowers well above the foliage, in shades of red, orange and yellow, often bicoloured. The flowers produce copious nectar while blooming and are attractive to bees and sunbirds. In the New World they may attract sap-suckers such as hummingbirds and New World orioles. The genus Kniphofia is named after Johann Hieronymus Kniphof, an 18th-century German physician and botanist. Several species of Kniphofia are cultivated as garden plants, valued for their architectural properties. These include K. galpini, K. northiae, K. rooperi and K. thomsonii.
Water the drought tolerant plant by providing deep watering throughout the growing season to help produce an extensive root system.
Poker Plant can thrive in dry soil types but for best results provide mulch rich in humus yet provides sharp drainage.
Don’t fertilize seedlings. Wait until the seedlings are well established, and then fertilize lightly with a diluted slow release fertilizer solution.
These plants can be grown in the areas where the lowest winter temperatures can drop drown to -10° to 0°F (-23° to -18°C).
