This perennial’s upright wands of blooms in warm colors attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.
This herbaceous perennial produces flowers that are both whimsical and architectural.
Play with shape and texture when choosing planting companions for red hot poker.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Plant red hot poker in full sun in soil that is well drained.
The plant has greater visual impact when planted in clumps or drifts where several blooms will catch the eye.
They like a sheltered site and look fantastic in front of a green hedge to highlight the blooms.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
They will perform well beside a pond as long as they’re sited in well-drained soil.
They also do well in gardens near the ocean.
Red hot poker can spread aggressively in some regions via rhizomes.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
In parts ofCaliforniaandOregon, red hot poker is considered invasive.
Remove the plant and loosen the roots a bit from the root ball before placing in the hole.
Backfill with soil, tamp lightly, and water well.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Space red hot poker plants 18 to 24 inches apart.
Light
Grow red hot pokers in full sun to part shade.
In hot locations, afternoon shade is especially important.
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Soil and Water
Red hot poker needs moist,well-drained soilwith a neutral pH.
Spread a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch over the plant’s root zone to preserve soil moisture and prevent weeds.
Water new plants weekly for the first growing season in the garden.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
These tough perennials are susceptible to root rot from wet soil, especially in winter.
Temperature and Humidity
Red hot pokers do best in moderate temperatures, between 60oF and 90oF.
They aren’t fussy about humidity.
Fertilizer
Unless soil is of very poor quality, red hot poker will do fine without fertilizer.
If feeding is needed, add a slow-release product that promotes flowering, following product label instructions.
Pruning
Clip spent flower blossoms to promote rebloom.
After a freeze in the fall, cut flower stalks off at the base of the plant.
Divide using a sharp spade to slice through the plant’s root system.
Transplants should have a large mass of roots and many aboveground stems.
To start red hot poker from seeds, refrigerate seeds for at least a month before sowing.
These appear in early summer.
The deciduous triangular leaves are strap-shaped.
Many of the best cultivars are hybrids.
All are excellent for cutting.
They thrive in hot, dry, sunny conditions like a south-facing slope.
Zones 3-9
Perennial Salvia
There are hundreds ofdifferent types of salvias, commonly called sage.
They all tend to have tall flower spikes and gray-green leaves.
Countless sages (including the herb used in cooking) are available to decorate ornamental gardens.
They’re valued for their very long bloom season up until frost.
Not all are hardy in cold climates, but they’re easy to grow as annuals.
Its grassy foliage grows about 2 feet tall.
‘Mango Popsicle’ dwarf poker has yellow-orange blooms and 12- to 18-inch-tall reed-like foliage.
Choose a dwarf variety of red hot poker in a deep pot for indoor container plants.
They’ll need to be divided regularly.
