How to Plant, Grow and Raise Red Hot Poker Plants

Once prized for their exotic beauty, red hot poker plants (Kniphofia) lost ground, so to speak, in American gardens during World War II, when ornamentals were often removed and replaced by edibles. Now they're making a comeback, as gardeners re-discover how easy they are to grow from red hot poker plant seedlings and offsets, and how much drama they bring to beds, borders and containers.

What Are Red Hot Poker Plants?

Red hot poker plants (Kniphofia) are herbaceous perennials, hardy in USDA Gardening Zones 6 to 9. Over 70 species range in height from one to five feet tall, but only a handful of hybrids are sold in the U.S. Native to South Africa, the red hot poker plant is sometimes called devil’s poker, rocket flower, African flame flower, torch flower and torch lily (although they're not in the lily family). Once red hot poker plants are established, they're drought-tolerant.

Many red hot poker plants have orange, yellow or red, blooms, but they're also available in colors like coral, cream, apricot, peach, lime green and amber. The flower spikes are actually clusters of small, tubular flowers filled with nectar, which makes them very appealing to hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. In addition to attracting pollinators, red hot poker plants add brilliant color and vertical interest to desert, xeriscape and rock gardens. These perennial beauties are also ideal for other backyard landscapes.

How to Grow Red Hot Poker Plants

Start your Kniphofia by removing and replanting offsets, which are baby plants, from mature clumps, or start them from seeds in spring or early fall. At the end of the growing season, red hot poker plant flowers turn brown and dry. The flowers will drop and release their seeds onto the ground, but you can collect the seed pods, let them dry for 24 hours and open them open over a bowl to catch the seeds.

Red hot poker plant seedlings are easy to grow, but the seeds need a cold, moist period to break dormancy. If you start the seeds in late fall, the winter weather in most parts of the country will provide these conditions. If you live where the winters are warm, or if you want to sow the seeds outdoors when the temperatures are already starting to climb in spring, you'll need to give them a chilling period first. Put the seeds in a closed baggie or sealed container along with a moist paper towel and keep them in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks; the crisper drawer is a good spot. This process is called stratification, and it mimics the natural late fall and winter conditions that trigger the seeds to "wake up," or come out of dormancy.

How to Plant Red Hot Poker Plant Seeds

To start red hot poker plant seeds indoors, sow the seeds 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected spring frost. Use containers that are 3 or 4 inches deep to accommodate their long taproots, and fill them with a sterile seed starting mix. Take the seeds out of the refrigerator and put 3 seeds per container. and lightly cover them with the mix. Moisten the surface to keep them moist, not waterlogged. Put the pots under grow lights, or near another light source, to help them germinate, and where the temperature stays about 70 to 75 degrees F. Check periodically to make sure the seeds stay moist, and expect them to sprout in about 21 to 28 days.

When the red hot poker seedlings are 2 or 3 inches tall and develop their first set of true leaves, move them into larger pots filled with potting soil that drains easily. After all chance of spring frost has passed, harden them off by gradually acclimating them to outdoor conditions over a period of 10 to 15 days.

To transplant them into the garden or containers, amend your soil, if needed with compost or organic matter so it's moderately rich. Dig holes a little deeper and wider than the root balls. Put the red hot poker seedlings in the holes so the crowns are level with the soil around them. Backfill the holes, tamping down the soil and watering gently, and water regularly until the red hot poker plants are established.

You can also sow red hot poker plant seeds directly outdoors in the spring. Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining soil that has a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0 to 7.0). If you live in a hot region, grow them in an area that gets some afternoon shade.

What Do Red Hot Poker Plant Seedlings Look Like?

Red hot poker plant seedlings look like little tufts or clumps of narrow-bladed grass. The foliage may be green or grayish-green and is usually coarsely-textured. As they grow, red hot poker plant seedlings form basal rosettes: that is, the leaves overlap and radiate around the base of the plants near the ground, so they're arranged like the spokes in a wheel.

Caring for Red Hot Poker Plant Seedlings

Avoid overwatering red hot poker plant seedlings and mature plants, which can lead to root rot. They don't need much fertilizer as long as long as they're growing in amended soil. If your soil is poor, apply a slow-release, all-purpose fertilizer in early spring, following the directions on your product. Mulch around the plants to hold down weeds and help keep some moisture in the ground.

What to Do After Red Hot Poker Plants Bloom

When the flowers fade, deadhead your plants by cutting the flower spikes down to the base of the plant. This often encourages more blooms. Depending on your climate, the foliage may be evergreen or semi-evergreen. Some varieties may die to the ground in the winter. Leave any foliage to help protect the plants while it's cold, and then trim away old leaves and stalks when new growth emerges in spring.

You'll usually have more success by growing red hot poker plants from seeds or by lifting and replanting baby plants growing nearby; dividing the plants can be hard, because they have woody, dense roots that you'll have to separate with a sharp spade. Learn more about perennial plants you should never divide.