Kniphofia caulescens

Kniphofia caulescens, commonly known as the Lesotho red-hot poker or the grey-leaved poker, is a short-stemmed, robust perennial. It grows from a thick rhizome that sometimes branches. The plants clump, reaching heights from 60 cm to 1 m.

The bluish grey or blue-green, strap-shaped leaves grow in a dense basal rosette. The blades are long and channelled, from 2,5 cm to 5 cm wide and narrowing to their tips.

The flowers grow in dense racemes at the top of long, sturdy scapes, that appear dark, reddish brown here. The inflorescences have the typical red-hot poker appearance of orange-red buds and pale yellow open flowers. The stamens are well exserted, adding allure.

The species distribution is inland in the east of South Africa, from the Eastern Cape to the eastern Free State and the west of KwaZulu-Natal, also in Lesotho.

The habitat is marshes and Drakensberg grassland in peaty moist spots among rocks. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century.

The plant is popular with gardeners and easy to grow.  It thrives in well-drained soil rich in compost with neutral or slightly acid pH. They are adapted to quite cold winter climates, bearing in mind their distribution (Manning, 2009; Duncan, 2000; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).