Remembering how bright and sunny the species looked when planted en masse, I decided to go coarse and country. I bought a pot of Kniphofia which promised to be a proper 'Red Hot Poker'. No stylish subtlety, nothing miniature - this was the real blazing orange-red deal.
Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily Red and Yellow for sale! Buy.
Mature plants have green flax-like leaves up to 1m long and red long flowers. The stunning red flowers tipped with orange pollen resemble a giant bottle brush or toothbrush. Hardy in zones 9-11. Full sun in cool-summer areas to part shade elsewhere, well-drained soil. Gently place the seeds about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from each other, and cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep the pots between 55-77.Extremely showy and exotic-looking, Crocosmia produce decorative clumps of erect sword-shaped leaves and brilliant wands of fiery scarlet, red, orange, and yellow tubular flowers which bloom for 5-8 weeks from mid summer through mid fall. Magnets for hummingbirds, the vibrant blossoms give way to seedpods that persist into fall and attract hungry birds.Handsome in their own right, the lustrous, wavy-edged, strap-shaped leaves (with perky wavy-edged margins) emerge from fleshy, tennis-ball-sized bulbs in late summer. In midwinter, red-hot-poker heads of tubular pink flowers develop on fleshy purple-flushed scapes that slowly elongate to 18 inches or so. Flowering peaks about Valentine’s Day.
These seldom-seen hybrids are mid-way between their parents - their blooms are larger and more trumpet-like than nerines (although smaller and more numerous than with amaryllis). They will thrive in a well-drained situation in either sun or semi-shade and they also perfect for growing in pots on the terrace or balcony. The leaves appear first and grow through the summer and make a striking.A: There are several species and varieties of Red Hot Poker, Kniphophia, which is also commonly called Torch Lily. Although it is a member of the lily family it doesn’t grow from a bulb. Rather, the thickened roots (rhizomes) spread slowly from a single plant as the years pass. Given good growing conditions they will sometimes become crowded and flower output will decline.
