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Herbaceous Perennial

Kniphofia thomsonii var. thomsonii

Thomson's red-hot poker

Perennial to 1.4m tall, spreading by rhizomes and forming tufts of upright, linear mid-green leaves to 60cm long. Produces a succession of conical, aloe-like, yellowish-orange flowers from midsummer to autumn

Synonyms

Kniphofia thomsonii var. snowdenii misapplied
Kniphofia rogersii
see moreKniphofia subalpina
Kniphofia goetzei

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asphodelaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming, Tufted
Genus: Kniphofia may be evergreen or herbaceous perennials, with linear or strap-shaped leaves and erect stems bearing a dense raceme of tubular, usually pendent flowers
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, DRC

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in full sun and fertile, moist but well-drained soil that isn’t too wet over winter. See kniphofia cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate established clumps by division in late spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut down old flower stems after flowering; old or dead leaves can be tidied up or removed in mid-spring

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, thrips, slugs and snails

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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