Kniphofia is a large genus of plants in the Asphodelaceae family that are rhizomatous or have fleshy roots. They are from Africa, Madagascar and Yemen. Most of the species are from Africa, especially South Africa and many of the popular cultivars originated from South African species. The common name for these plants is poker or red hot pokers because of their spikes which are often red or orange-red.
Kniphofia 'Bees Sunset' blooming in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in July 2004. Photo by Bob Rutemoeller.
Kniphofia 'Border Ballet' - Plants going under this name have very narrow foliage and a beautiful range of pastel color forms to choose from, including some nice pink forms. The plant overwintered well in my cold USDA Zone 5 garden, bulking up nicely and started flowering at the end of September. My plant has flowers that are pale yellow tinged with pastel melon orange color; subtle and beautiful. Both photos by Mark McDonough taken September 30, 2005, showing the flower and the plant form.
Kniphofia rooperii has a typical compressed triangular flower spike in the early stages. Its colours graduate from cream, orange to green at the top. Orginates from the milder coastal area of east South Africa. It flowers in mid winter and is therefore well adapted to the mild Mediterranean climate. In August with drought and high temperatures the plant slows down. This is the best moment to prune off the superflous leaves. After 4-5 years in place it is advised, in order to maintain a generous flowering, to divide the rhizomes (end of summer or late winter). An ideal plant to colour your drive way in midwinter. Both photos taken by Lauw de Jager in his garden (South of France) in February 2008
Kniphofia sarmentosa has strap-shaped leaves and reddish flowers, becoming buff with exserted anthers. This species is found in mountain streams and moist hollows from the western Karoo to the Hex River mountains (winter rainfall areas) of South Africa. The first two photos were taken in South Africa, August 2001 in a very wet winter in the western Karoo and the last was taken September 2006 in the Roggeveld. The first three photos were taken by Mary Sue Ittner. The last picture was taken by Lauw de Jager February 2008 in a garden in Gerona, Northeastern Spain.
Kniphofia thomsonii and Kniphofia thomsonii snowdenii, are among the more strikingly distinct Kniphofia. The well spaced individual flowers, each gracefully downcurved, give these plants something of a Lachenalia or Phygelius look.
The first photo, taken by Jim McKenney in his garden, shows a form widely distributed in eastern North America in recent years under the name Kniphofia thomsonii snowdenii. This is not a great photo, but on the basis of this photo and some information I provided about the source of the plant, David Fenwick has identified it as a triploid form of Kniphofia thomsonii.
David also provided the following three photos, which have been uploaded to the wiki with his consent. The first shows a close up view of the flowers of the triploid Kniphofia thomsonii. Note that these flowers lack pubescence; that is, they are not hairy on the outside. The second two of David's photos show forms of undoubted Kniphofia thomsonii snowdenii. Note in the close up the pubescence (short hairs) on the individual flowers.
Kniphofia thodei grows in moist mountain grassland, up to 2750m. This photo was taken by Roy Herold in Kwa Zulu-Natal Province, near Kamberg in the foothills of the Drakensberg, in early Novmber 2004. The same plants were observed blooming in December, 2006.
Kniphofia triangularis is an evergreen perennial to 60 cm tall with coral red to orange yellow flowers in a cylindrical nodding head. Blooming January to April, it is found in mountain grassland, streambanks, and moist areas in the Eastern Cape to the Northern province of South Africa. Photo by Cameron McMaster.
Kniphofia uvaria is a winter rainfall species that grows in seeps, marshes, and streams on sandstone slopes and flowers in spring. It has strap-shaped leaves that are keeled. Flowers are orange to greenish yellow with anthers either not or slightly exserted at flowering. Photos taken September 2006 in South Africa near Bainskloof by Mary Sue Ittner and Bob Rutemoeller following a fire earlier in the year that had stimulated flowering.
Pictures below are of unknown species or cultivars. The first group of pictures was taken by Jennifer Hildebrand at the garden in the Getty Center in Southern California showing Kniphofia in front of some beautiful red roses:
This is a picture of plants flowering in Jim and Beverley Thompson's garden in Manchester, Calfornia. They are probably cultivars. I don't have a name for them. Photo by Bob Rutemoeller.
For more information and many pictures consult David Fenwick's 
web site
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