FIRE IN THE GARDEN

Colors of Red Hot Poker Plant, Torch Lily, resemble sunset



March 20, 2020

The perennial Red Hot Poker Plant can reach 3 to 4 feet tall with blooms on stems and spread 2 feet wide in clumps like shown here in the center front planted at Victoria Educational Gardens.  Size at maturity should be considered when choosing where the Red Hot Poker Plant is placed in your garden.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY PIXABAY

This variety of Kniphofia uvaria, or Torch Lily, resembles torches on tall stems from which its name Torch Lily is derived.  They bloom summer through fall, gradually deepening in color and when the flower spikes dry out, seeds can be gathered from the spikes, kept moist and cool for 40 days and then planted in pots.  After sprouting, they can be transplanted into the ground.  Their roots can also be divided to form more plants after established fours years in the ground.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY PIXABAY

When bright red, orange and yellow downward-facing tubular flowers of the Red Hot Poker Plant bloom, they are known to attract hummingbirds to feed on nectar when the tiny birds migrate in flight.

Plants with similar growing requirements to Red Hot Poker Plant

•  Salvia
•  Russian sage
•  Helenium
•  Artemisia
•  Sedum

Plants with red, yellow or orange blooms to complement Red Hot Poker Plant

• Yarrow
• Lantana
• Mexican mint marigold
• Indian blanket
• Mexican hat

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

Who doesn’t enjoy a dazzling sunset? That is what we tried to capture during the time we built the house in which we live today.

When we were deciding on what unit of land to build, we would take folding chairs and sit on various plots. We tried to find the spot that would catch the sunset when looking out our back kitchen window. Finally, when we found just the right spot, we decided to build our home.

The red hot poker plant (Kniphofia uvaria), also called torch lily, captures these sunset colors.

Originally from South Africa, the genus Kniphofia was first described in 1794 and named after Johann H. Kniphof, a German physician and botanist. There are about 70 species.

Radiance by day
The sun-loving red hot poker plant, a hardy evergreen perennial, sounds like a great plant for our summer days in South Texas. Our past sweltering summers have been those of endurance for not only their residents, but also the plants, so use caution when planting in full sun.

Description
This perennial with lily-like leaves has its flowers growing downward in colors of red, orange and yellow. Thus it derives its name “red hot poker plant” or “torch lily.”

• Grows to 3-4 feet tall by 2 feet wide

It can attain a height of 36 to 48 inches when mature and will spread to a width of 2 feet. The gardener needs to keep this size in mind when planting as it tends to grow in a clumping manner.

• Blooms pop in red, orange, yellow; leaves in rich green

When it flowers summer through fall, the blooms give the garden a nice pop of color. You will need to cut back the plant to the ground to achieve a full plant for the next season after it blooms for the last time in autumn. Even when it is not blooming, its leaves retain a nice, rich green color.

Growing conditions
This plant does well in zones 5 to 10. The torch lily is drought tolerant only when it is established. It needs to be watered sufficiently if the area is experiencing a particularly dry summer. The red hot poker plant will need protection if temperatures are unusually cold.

This plant can grow in most any well-drained soil with plenty of organic material mixed in. The red hot poker does not tolerate wet roots.

Creating more plants from seeds
These plants are able to be grown from seeds. When the flower spikes dry out, gather the seeds from the dried flower spikes, layering them between two damp paper towels.

Refrigerate the seeds for 40 days. During this time, you must keep the paper towels moist but not wet. This environment mimics the cold of the winter ground.

In the spring, you can grow seeds in a garden pot with equal parts of peat moss, vermiculate or store-bought compost after being chilled for 40 days. Then you will need to plant the seeds about one half inch into the soil mixture.

Seeds will sprout within 20 to 90 days at which time you can transplant them into the ground.

By division
Although not easy to divide, you can achieve division of established plants by using a sharp spade to separate the roots. It was suggested the plants be established for four years in the ground before dividing. You will need to replant all the newly divided plants in spring and then water thoroughly.

This plant sometimes produces offsets that can be separated from the main plant and replanted separately.

Use with other plants with similar growing conditions

Whenever I plan to redo a part of my garden, I try to find varying heights of flowers. Red hot poker with its height of 3 to 4 feet would be an ideal plant to use as a background plant with other plants needing similar growing conditions such as salvia and sedums. It could also be used as a focal point in arrangements.

Have place in nature

• Hummingbirds

Each year, we place hummingbird feeders in our backyard. The nectar-filled flowers of the red hot poker come in the bright colors of red, orange and yellow and are a feast for these fast-flying friends. They enjoy the flowers’ tubular shape allowing the birds to suck out the nectar.

• Deer

Fortunately, this is a deer-resistant plant.

Capturing sunsets
My husband and I continue to enjoy our backyard and its amazing vista along with our grandchildren. After 20 years of living in this home, we have experienced many amazing memories and garden sunsets. We even like to watch the stars from this same area. It has been a space well chosen for us.