Bright flowers, grass-like leaves and surprising hardiness can give your beds and borders a long season of sparkle. Like many northern gardeners, I've had red-hot poker envy for years, but have ruled out growing them because they're more likely to survive the winter in my area. However, there are a few things I'm really excited about.
New Kniphofia Introductions We are growing at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It's pretty cool to have a South African plant overwintering in the Midwest, isn't it? This is not the first time experiencing the thrill And the agony of cultivating Kniphofia. Thirty years ago, we tested 20 red-hot pokers on a slope with full sun, well-drained soil and a wooden fence to block prevailing winds. Each plant survived the winter, grew vigorously, and simply glowed in the second summer. I crowed about our success, perhaps a little faintly, but certainly too soon, for the next winter the plants all died.
Complete failure can be soul-sucking, so I picked the fringes for years before I felt breeding promised enough to warrant another big test. Some success a few years ago with Terra Nova's Popsicle series and a new breed across Lake Michigan at Walters Gardens prompted me to try again. Growing these plants successfully in northern gardens is not just about their ability to survive cold temperatures. Soil moisture is the ideal balance in any climate; Both survival and overall longevity
Greatly reduced in wet soils. In 2023, we replicated the current trial in a new evaluation garden with free-draining, sandy loam, which we believe will be perfect for producing red-hot poker magic. Strong habits and refined flowers are well-suited to almost any garden scheme, with exotic common names such as red-hot poker and torch. The lily is suitable for this native of the Southern Hemisphere, whose flowers are often in fiery tones of red, orange and yellow. Pendant flowers are densely clustered on terminal spikes. Occasionally, secondary spikes arise from the main stem, such as 'Hot and Cold' and 'Poker Face'. The flowers open from the bottom upwards, and the open flowers are often of a lighter hue or a different color.
Buds above them. Cultivars such as 'Glowstick' and 'Redhot Popsicle' have monochromatic flowers and buds.
Flowering usually begins near the summer solstice Remontant blooms in summer or early fall. The Trumpet-like flowers are usually about an inch long, give or taken A smidge, and a quarter inch wide, while conical Flower heads are 4 to 7 inches tall. There were flowers Measured at the beginning of the flowering time of the plant A mix of open flowers—a few spent—and buds. Small flower clusters at the tips of elongated stems The season is still satisfactory, although I'm not interested in any shaggy Dead flowers hanging down. Red-hot pokers have a clustering habit and thick flowers Stems; I have yet to see a floppy cord. Spiky, linear Leaves are erect or recurved, but sometimes curved and impaled. Growth is usually vigorous, and new plants come on strong First year in the garden. Plants can quickly get noticeable Circumference; The strongest mounds in testing reached 4 feet Broad. Third summer seedlings pop up, and We found some seedlings when they bloomed Replaced the original plants that died. Long live us The garden is still unknown, but seeing how good this group is What has been done so far gives me confidence. The best actors boast a deceptive range Blossom colors
Deep orange 'Joker's Wild' is a color beauty A tease. At first glance, open flowers are pale yellow below The balloon buds, but is replaced by a halo of soft butter From the elongated stamens. A deep orange color is vibrant All over when the flowers open and fade. Thick, conical flower Heads are set on 36-inch stalks and mainly among the leaves Erect, slightly curved at the tips. There were test samples The same shrub habit for the first three years, but plant sizeand vigor was uneventful in the fourth summer.
The pure yellow glow of 'Gold Rush' burns Summer garden. Monochromatic simplicity of flowers deceives; A closer look is required to see if it has budswas opened. Plump inflorescences, about 6 inches in size Long and 2 inches wide, produced freely on sturdy stems Up to 48 inches tall starting in early summer. clearly curved The leaves form a broad, fountain-like habit. Like 'Gold Rush' Other top performers have already survived three winters. The benefit of seeding a new test is that it takes away some of the residue To my own garden. I had enough sun for one plant, and After a contentious internal debate I chose 'Lady Luck'. The Bloom Color is a fresh and sophisticated blend of green, The chartreuse, and creamy white completely captivated me. Add to fruitful grace 7 inch flower heads by 52 inches high Stems and gracefully curved leaves, and 'Lady Luck' ticked it all off Boxes. Back home, I planted it next to the pure white 'Casa' Blanca' lilies (Lilium 'Casa Blanca', Zones 4-9) before thisThe plant was blooming. After some initial uncertainty about
I decided on a combo, patterns, color echo and chartreuse The vibes of the two flowers went well together. At first, I wondered if I might be biased Shorter cultivation as the tall rocket-like flowers are taller Cultivars are very symbolic. 'Orange Blaze' beat it Comment. At over 2 feet tall, 'Orange Blaze' is even taller Compact compared to the Poco or Popsicle series Its tall companions in the Pyromania® collection. Bright orange Flowers are produced freely above elegant clusters in dense spikes Erect leaves. Here the flowers bloom again in early July Continues in the fall. Honeybees were mates, Hummingbirds, meanwhile, were more solitary visitors. Small leaf Findings in 2021 and 2022 are noticeable but easy to overlook
Because of the better quality of the flowers. Red-orange buds of 'Sunset' open to light shade Orange creates a beautiful two-tone effect. Plump inflorescences Top sturdy shafts commonly found in the Poco™ series. It gives the impression of being full of flowers in early summer A large plant, although it is very compact. Very red-hot The pokers were stunning in their first year as they blossomed until severe frosts in mid-November. The first winter I had Flashbacks of our disastrous ordeal and I brace myself on a boat Losses in spring. Happily, 'Sunset' arrived in its first winter Not as damaged as other cultivars. The vivid bicolor flowers of 'Rocket's Red Clare' Favorites that grab the attention of our visitors and staff. I usually do Loves subtle, ombre-like color combinations, but its sharp contrast
Feel between bright red buds and peachy yellow flowers Especially tropical and stimulating. Flowers are plentiful The product rises sharply above the mainly erect leaves. The narrow vertical character of 'Rocket's Red Glare' is more refined than that Bushier habits or strongly curved leaves of other cultivars. 'Red Roulette' is new to testing in 2023 and has excelled First summer. It is a valuable up-and-comer Gambling. Deep red-orange buds open to creamy yellow flowers; It bloomed at the end of July last year. A lot of color mixing Less mentioned than 'Rocket's Red Glare'. Its flowers Were on the small side but, like the plants themselves, will do will be bigger in the years to come. Short leaves are prominent
Vertical, keeping an elegant look all season. Plants just grew Height and width over 2 feet but expected to reach 42 inches height and 32 inches wide. 'Red Roulette' is our new planting The experimental garden gets some shade at midday. It may be Its flower production is not as strong as that of cultivars Grows in full sun.
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