About Kniphofia northiae Baker
Kniphofia northiae, commonly called the giant red-hot poker, is a flowering plant species in the family Asphodelaceae, native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This robust evergreen perennial grows up to 1.7 m (5.6 ft) tall, and has attractive curved leaves that look similar to aloe leaves. In spring and summer, a stout central stem produces oval flowerheads, made up of many tightly packed tubular florets. The florets are green when in bud, open to a muted red, and fade from the base upwards to yellow and brown, giving the flowerhead the characteristic appearance of a red-hot poker. K. northiae grows above 300 m (980 ft) in mountain grassland of the Drakensberg, ranging from the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. This species is named for Marianne North, an English botanical artist. K. northiae is valued in horticulture for its distinctive architectural qualities. It is hardy to temperatures as low as −10 °C (14 °F). It is slightly larger and more tender than its close relative K. rooperi, so it prefers milder growing locations, such as the south west coast of England. It needs to be grown in full sun, in reliably moist but well-drained soil. It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
