'Torch lily', 'Red Hot Poker', 'Satan's embers'; such are the firey names given to the South African Kniphofia, and how appropriate they all are! No other perennial can rival this amazing plant for boldness of colour and stature. From the first flower in June till the last one in October, there is always a poker to brighten up the garden.People often associate the Kniphofia with a a tawdry mix of deep burned orange and yellow, but there are some marvelous hybrids of various colours to choose from nowadays. Take for example the wonderful 'Rich Echos' (above) with a mixture of lemon, bronze and pale orange, the equally elegant 'Timothy' in its dark salmon robe (below, in one of Clive Nichols's beautiful photographs of Pettifers) 
or the most intense of them all, 'Lord Roberts' (below).
The argumentative person might like to point out to me that not all Kniphofias are vibrant, that there are some which display quite cool shades of cream and green that couldn't even ignite a dry pile of straw, and I have to agree for the most scrumptious I possess, 'Coolknip', is indeed positively icy looking. Even if it cannot match the vibrant orange and red ones in terms of sheer drama
I wouldn't be without it for it is a very special plant. I bought it from plantwoman extraordinaire Ellen Hornig who runs Seneca Hill Perennials in Upstate New York, USA. She herself had received it from a friend in California, so it has made a long journey to come all the way here in my English garden. It is a most impressive poker with stately green flowers very late in the summer (or more likely this year, early autumn). As I am writing it has yet to show its flower buds through the foliage and it probably won't do so until the end of the month. I like that because it extends the season. I have many other kniphfias in bloom at the moment, including the similar but smaller 'Percy's Pride', so 'Coolknip' can wait a little longer.
or the most intense of them all, 'Lord Roberts' (below). The argumentative person might like to point out to me that not all Kniphofias are vibrant, that there are some which display quite cool shades of cream and green that couldn't even ignite a dry pile of straw, and I have to agree for the most scrumptious I possess, 'Coolknip', is indeed positively icy looking. Even if it cannot match the vibrant orange and red ones in terms of sheer drama I wouldn't be without it for it is a very special plant. I bought it from plantwoman extraordinaire Ellen Hornig who runs Seneca Hill Perennials in Upstate New York, USA. She herself had received it from a friend in California, so it has made a long journey to come all the way here in my English garden. It is a most impressive poker with stately green flowers very late in the summer (or more likely this year, early autumn). As I am writing it has yet to show its flower buds through the foliage and it probably won't do so until the end of the month. I like that because it extends the season. I have many other kniphfias in bloom at the moment, including the similar but smaller 'Percy's Pride', so 'Coolknip' can wait a little longer. Apart from 'Percy's Pride' I've got K. uvaria 'Nobilis' putting up a show at the moment. This is, I believe, the tallest of all
Kniphofias, and although mine is quite tall at about 6 ft, the ones at Kew Gardens had to be seen to be believed this year, they must have topped a good 9 ft - the sight of them in the Cambridge Cottage garden transfixed me for a moment. How I wish I had had a camera handy! Next year perhaps. In the meantime there is also the smart 'Toffee Nosed' in flower in the cutting border. It is one of the most elegant forms with slender flowers of various shades of cream and bronze - well done to the person who named it so cleverly!
Kniphofias, and although mine is quite tall at about 6 ft, the ones at Kew Gardens had to be seen to be believed this year, they must have topped a good 9 ft - the sight of them in the Cambridge Cottage garden transfixed me for a moment. How I wish I had had a camera handy! Next year perhaps. In the meantime there is also the smart 'Toffee Nosed' in flower in the cutting border. It is one of the most elegant forms with slender flowers of various shades of cream and bronze - well done to the person who named it so cleverly!The 
one small snag about Kniphofias is their strappy foliage, which can be a little overwhelming or untidy in some varieties. Those I have mentioned so far are pretty neat in growth generally and there are several others which are good, two of which are even outstanding: Kniphofia caulescens with large blue rosettes and the king of all of them, K. northiae with huge succulent leaves like a hardy aloe (right).
one small snag about Kniphofias is their strappy foliage, which can be a little overwhelming or untidy in some varieties. Those I have mentioned so far are pretty neat in growth generally and there are several others which are good, two of which are even outstanding: Kniphofia caulescens with large blue rosettes and the king of all of them, K. northiae with huge succulent leaves like a hardy aloe (right).There are of course some smaller daintier forms than the ones I have mentioned so far such as 'Little Maid', 'Bressingham Comet' and 'Nancy's Red' which I used to grow and loved. I tired of them evntually though, they just lack the punch I want from Kniphofia. They are too posé and polite somehow - and lets admit it, if one felt so inclined to refine one's taste it would be better to start collecting bone china tea cups - much less work on the long run!
2 comments:
hello poker boy!
the penultimate photo - was that from wisley when we were there that time together? Near the sweet pea trials?
Rxx
Excellent post on Kniphofias. If only most of these cultivars were easy to find. Timothy is very rare indeed in the U.S.!
Post a Comment