Plant Profile: Kniphofia x praecox

Names

Fire Poker, Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily

  • Photo of Kniphofia x praecox (Kniphofia x praecoxs)

Phonetic Spelling:ny-FOH-fee-uh PRAY-koks

Genus:Kniphofia

Species:

Family:Asphodelaceae

Torch Lily stands out as one of the most favored varieties among Red Hot Poker plants. This upright perennial herb typically reaches heights of 2 to 4 feet and can spread up to 3 feet in diameter. It showcases vibrant blooms during the summer months, with the possibility of a less impressive fall flowering. Renowned for its resilience, this plant is remarkably easy to cultivate, thriving best in full sunlight and well-drained soil. It does not tolerate soggy, heavy soils, as excess moisture can lead to rot and ultimately, the plant's demise in winter. Torch Lily makes a striking addition to the front of a shrub border or can be elegantly lined along driveways and walkways. Its bold and vivid colors allow it to shine as a standalone specimen or in mass plantings within garden beds. Fortunately, this plant is largely free from significant pest or disease issues.

**Quick Identification Tips:**

Kniphofia x praecox Feature Summary

Kniphofia x praecox Image Gallery

Tags

#red
#white
#yellow
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#orange
#perennial
#white flowers
#green
#red flowers
#yellow flowers
#orange flowers
#fall interest
#well-drained soil
#summer flowers
#cream flowers
#fantz
#driveway
#walkway planting
#shrub borders

Similar Plants

Kniphofia x praecox is often confused with:

Kniphofia x praecox Feature Summary

Flowers
Flowers are crowded, pendulous, and tubular. They can be bold red, yellow, cream to coral, orange, or white in cultivar selections. Inflorescence is a scapose raceme arising from a radial cluster of leaves. Peduncles are fleshy, thick, and erect. Rachis are densely crowded with flowers and buds, 1/5-1/4 the length of the peduncle.
White
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Orange
Cream/Tan
Leaves
Leaves are alternate, linear, crowded vasally, keeled, strap-like, grayish-green in color and can grow up to 35" long. Leaf margins come together into a pointed apex. Blades are sheading basally and are overlapping each other around minute stems.
> 6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Specimen
Walkways
Pool/Hardscape

Kniphofia x praecox Attributes

Kniphofia x praecox: Country Or Region Of Origin

Africa

Kniphofia x praecox Flowers

Kniphofia x praecox: Flower Description

Flowers are crowded, pendulous, and tubular. They can be bold red, yellow, cream to coral, orange, or white in cultivar selections. Inflorescence is a scapose raceme arising from a radial cluster of leaves. Peduncles are fleshy, thick, and erect. Rachis are densely crowded with flowers and buds, 1/5-1/4 the length of the peduncle.

Kniphofia x praecox: Flower Color

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Cream/Tan
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Gold/Yellow
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Orange
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Red/Burgundy
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White

Kniphofia x praecox: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Kniphofia x praecox: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Kniphofia x praecox: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Kniphofia x praecox Leaves

Kniphofia x praecox: Leaf Description

Leaves are alternate, linear, crowded vasally, keeled, strap-like, grayish-green in color and can grow up to 35" long. Leaf margins come together into a pointed apex. Blades are sheading basally and are overlapping each other around minute stems.

Kniphofia x praecox: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Kniphofia x praecox: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Kniphofia x praecox: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Kniphofia x praecox: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Kniphofia x praecox: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Kniphofia x praecox: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Kniphofia x praecox Whole Plant Traits

Kniphofia x praecox: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Kniphofia x praecox: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Kniphofia x praecox: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Kniphofia x praecox Cultural Conditions

Kniphofia x praecox: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Kniphofia x praecox: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Kniphofia x praecox Stem

Kniphofia x praecox: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Kniphofia x praecox Landscape

Kniphofia x praecox: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Kniphofia x praecox: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Kniphofia x praecox: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Kniphofia x praecox: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland