Kniphofia multiflora showed up at the nursery a few years ago, as a solitary seedling, alone in its tray. Not very promising for propagatability, but a plant with this magnitude of awesomeness? Sometimes one MASSIVE POKER PLANT is enough! We were pretty thrilled with our crop of one, feeble though it was. Our wee seedling spent a few months in the back of the greenhouse, and then was transferred to larger quarters where it began to grow… and GROW… AND GROW! Last October it sent up its first flower spike for our Big Fall Party (Timing plus! Sweet of it to mark the occasion, don’t you think?) and acquired many new admirers. Now again, just in time for our big event, our glorious mama plant is putting on another big show!
The plant has doubled in size since last fall, and added a few spikes to its floral display. If the amount of growth it’s put on this year is any indication, next year we might have to throw IT a party. It’s getting to be one of the most awe inspiring specimens in the nursery.
Lucky us (and lucky you!) we pulled off a small crop this year! There are a modest sum of plants available to mail order folks, and some larger specimens for sale at the nursery – IN BUD!! Too big to ship and a good reason to get into the nursery early this weekend if you’re able. They’re crowded around our original specimen, looking oddly like mini-monster babies of the big mama in the huge pot.
Though this species is from wetlands, ours has thrived with average water in a (HEEUGE) pot of good soil. We top dress with compost once a year when the plant is in growth (it goes deciduous in Winter, which I fretted over the first season for no good reason – it grew like mad once warm weather returned) and try to keep it out of the way of excessively harsh weather.
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cardiac danger.
When my poker plant bloomed, It bloomed only halfway and the rest all dried up?
Hi pdshopper –
Kniphofias are not generally prone to disease, but if something effects the bloom as it is developing, like either an injury along the stem, or possibly thrips (not a common pest for this plant, but possible) then as that part of the blooming stalk matures it will whither.
Hopefully your plant's future blooms will go the distance!