Kniphofia

(Red Hot Poker) Alcazar

Kniphofia 'Alcazar' throws up stiff, bare stems topped with dense pokers of tubular flowers, glowing orange red at the tip and fading to a softer orange yellow lower down. It reaches roughly 90-100 cm in flower and 50-60 cm wide, forming an evergreen fountain of narrow, blue green leaves at the base. Plant 3-4 per square metre in a group, or use a single clump as a solitary accent in a border or a large pot. The pokers open in June and carry on into August, and they are full of nectar, so bees and bumblebees work them from morning onwards. It suits a sunny border, a gravel or coastal garden and a hot spot against a south facing wall, where its vertical shape stands out among softer planting.

Give it the sunniest, warmest spot you have; in shade it produces leaves and very few flower spikes. It must have free draining soil, so dig grit into clay and plant slightly proud of the surface so water runs away from the crown. Water it through the first summer and in long dry spells after that, but keep water out of the centre of the rosette; in a large pot it dries out much faster and needs a regular soak in hot weather. Cut each flower stem right down at the base once it has finished, and leave the foliage on the plant, tidying away only the dead outer leaves in spring. It is hardy and evergreen, so rather than cutting it back in autumn, gather the leaves together and tie them loosely over the crown to keep winter rain out.

Your order will be hand picked and packed in our strong and sustainable packaging as soon as possible, after which it will be delivered straight from our greenhouse to your door by your chosen carrier. You can follow the journey of your plants via the tracking link you receive in your mail. If you have any questions regarding your order and its shipment, you can get in contact with our support team.

We expect every order to arrive in tip-top shape. We take intensive care of the plants in our greenhouse and use special and as sustainable as possible protective packaging to ship our plants. We also wrote an extensive blog about how to unpack and prepare your plants for growth after shipping. However there are rare occasions where our plants don’t meet their full potential. That’s why all plants are guaranteed for 30 days after arrival, if still in its original nursery pot.