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Kniphofia 'Nancy's Red' (Red Hot Poker) - A small compact clump-forming perennial that remains semi-evergreen in our mild climate and grows to 18 to 24 inches tall by a near equal spread with narrow grass-like green leaves. In early to midsummer (June-August) the spikes emerge above the foliage topped with narrow cone-shaped clusters of brick-red buds that open to coral-red flowers that reflex downward with age but retain their reddish color except for a hint of yellow on the throat and petal margins of open flowers.
Plant in full sun to light shade in hot areas in a moderately well-drained soil. Water occasionally to regularly during dry months. This hardy plant can be grown in nearly any California garden as it can reportedly handle to USDA zones 7a and perhaps down into zone 6.
We purchased this plant originally as 'Nanci's Red' but this seems to be an error as most spell it the typical manner as "Nancy". We have not been able to determine who Nancy is or where this plant originated, other than it was first listed in 1996 at Apple Court Gardens, a specialty garden and nursery established by noted British gardeners and horticultural writers Diana Grenfell, who wrote many books on Hostas, and Roger Grounds, a pioneering garden designer who used and wrote about ornamental grasses. 'Nancy's Red' was also noted as growing in Beth Chatto Gardens in 1997. The name Kniphofia honors Johann Hieronymus Kniphof (1704 -1763), a German physician and botanist. The pronunciation of this genus is often argued about and while most continue to use the easiest to pronounce versions such as ny-FOE-fee-ah or nee-FOF-ee-a, others argue correctly that the name should follow the pronunciation of the name it commemorates. But even for this there are differences of opinion owing to different German regional dialects - one such pronunciation often noted as correct is nip-HOFF-ee-uh while another that is particularly hard to pronounce is k-nip-HOF-ia. Keeping it simple we still use ny-FOE-fee-ah. We grew this plant from 2008 until 2012.
The information displayed on this page about Kniphofia 'Nancy's Red' is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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