Description of the plant knifofia, tips for growing kniphofia in the garden, recommendations for reproduction, pest and disease control, curious facts, species.
Kniphofia can be found in the literature under the synonym Kniphofia. Botanists refer this representative of the flora to the Xanthorrhoeaceae family, the Asphodelaceae subfamily. The natural habitat of plants in nature falls on the lands of the southern and eastern regions of the African continent. There are about 75 species, today only a small number of varieties and their multiple hybrid variations are grown all over the planet, used as horticultural crops with highly decorative flowering. Hybrids sometimes appear on their own without human intervention, when species are pollinated among themselves.
| Family name | Xanthorrhea |
| Growth cycle | Perennial |
| Growth form | Grassy |
| Reproduction type | Using seeds and dividing the bush |
| Transplant time to the garden | Mid summer |
| Disembarkation scheme | Keep at least 0.3-0.4 m between seedlings |
| Substrate | Sandy, loose and nutritious |
| Indicators of soil acidity, pH | Neutral (6, 5-7) |
| Lighting level | Sunny flower bed or partial shade |
| Recommended humidity | The soil should always be slightly moist. |
| Special Requirements | Undemanding |
| Height indicators | 1-3 m |
| Color of flowers | Orange-red, orange, scarlet or dark red, and in the lower part bright yellow or yellowish with greenish |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Spicate |
| Flowering time | From the middle of summer, depending on the species, 1, 5–2 months |
| Decorative period | Spring-summer |
| Places of application | In mixborders and on flower beds, in group plantings, for landscaping stone gardens, next to artificial or natural ponds, swamps, it is well worth cutting |
| USDA zone | 6–9 |
The plant bears its unusual name in honor of the scientist from Germany Johann Jerome Kniphof (1704-1763), who was engaged in botany, anatomy and surgery, and also served as the rector of the public university in the city of Erfurt. Therefore, in the scientific literature, this African representative of the flora is called kniphofia, and the term “knifofia” is more characteristic of literary sources on gardening. Interestingly, until the 90s of the last century, the plant was called Tritoma, so you can often find this name or Notosceptrum in botanical reference books. In some European countries, for the color and shape of the inflorescences, Kniphofia is nicknamed "torch lily" or "red-hot poker".
All knifophytes are perennials with a herbaceous form of growth, while some of them are characterized by non-falling deciduous mass (evergreen). The rhizome of such plants, although thick, is shortened. The height of the stems varies from one to one and a half meters, but among the varieties there are bushes with dwarf indicators. The tallest species is recognized as Kniphofia thomsonii, flowering stems, which reach three meters.
The leaf plates of the tritoma, as in most of the representatives of asphodelics, are collected in a rosette located in the root zone, which has the shape of a bundle. From its central part, flowering stems begin to stretch. The color of the leaves and stems is a rich green or greenish-gray color scheme. The outlines of the leaf plate are narrow and long, but their width directly depends on the variety, the maximum it reaches 2.5 cm, while the length can be 0.9 m. And even while the plant has only foliage and it makes it attractive.
The bloom of this African plant is truly a sight to behold. All due to the fact that from medium-sized flowers, inflorescences in the form of spikelets are formed on the tops of the peduncles. The height of the flowering stems starts from one meter, and the length of the inflorescences is about 25 cm. Leaves are not formed on the peduncle. The color of the petals in the flowers is saturated orange-red, orange, scarlet or dark red, and in the lower part it is bright yellow or yellowish with a greenish tint. Curiously, the transition between shades is gentle, from yellow to coral. The perianth in flowers is simple, resembling a corolla. There are three pairs of stamens inside. The ovary is located in the upper part, it is three-celled.
When flowering in the lower part of the inflorescence, the buds open completely, but gradually towards the top, their number becomes smaller. The flowering process begins in mid-summer and usually lasts 45-60 days. The fruit after pollination is a capsule filled with seed material. The seeds of the bnife are 3 mm long.
Despite its African origin, kniphofia can be perfectly cultivated not only in the southern regions of Russia, but also in its middle zone. Winter hardiness is noted in some varieties and hybrid forms up to 10-15 degrees of frost, if the winter is snowy, then under such a "snow blanket" the plants will successfully overwinter even if the thermometer goes even lower.
Tips for growing knifofia - planting and grooming outdoors
- Choosing a landing site. Since the plant nevertheless comes from African lands, it will be comfortable in a well-lit flower bed, but it is important to organize protection from cold drafts and gusts of wind. You can plant it on southern slopes. But even with the chosen planting, the farther north your region, the more difficult it will be to grow "torch lily", except for the Kniphofia Tukka variety, which is much more frost-resistant. Excess moisture is harmful to the root system of the plant "hot poker", otherwise it threatens with various rot. Therefore, it is recommended to land on a hill or a mound; it is necessary to provide a good drainage layer when planting the knifofia. Since the plant is thermophilic, experts advise putting stones next to the bush or mulching with any material of a dark shade (for example, expanded clay, gravel or pebbles). This will allow the substrate to warm up further, providing the roots with warmth.
- Soil for tritoma must be loose in order to allow air and moisture to pass to the root system, but at the same time moisture capacity, providing the necessary level of moisture. It is important that the substrate is full of nutrients and well fertilized. Sandy soil can be used, and the rapid evaporation of moisture will retain the mulch layer on its surface. You can make up a soil mixture yourself by mixing sod and leafy soil, humus and river sand in equal proportions.
- Landing of knifofia. Plants of "torch lily" can be planted in a prepared place in the garden in mid-spring, since the plants are already adapted to growing conditions in the open field, but for kniphofia seedlings the best planting period will be mid-summer. The hole is dug a little more of the earthen coma of the plant so that a drainage layer fits on its bottom, which is sprinkled with soil mixture. Then there is a tritoma bush and earth is poured along the edges to the soil level on the site. When planting between seedlings, it is recommended to maintain an interval of at least 30–40 cm, since the root rosette subsequently grows strongly. After that, it is necessary to squeeze the soil slightly and water the bushes abundantly, and then mulch the trunk circle.
- Kniphofia transplant. It is worth changing the growing place for this African beauty only if there are problems associated with its growth, or if the plant has suffered a disease (for example, root rot). This procedure with a "hot poker" is tolerated relatively easily, but experts still recommend not to disturb the bush without the need.
- Watering the knifofia. Since the natural location implies the presence of the proximity of a water artery, the plant is hygrophilous. But at the same time, the drought does not affect it too negatively. It is only important that moisture stagnation does not occur after the snow melts or prolonged precipitation has passed. Before the beginning of the growing season, it is recommended that the soil be moistened abundantly next to the "torch lily" bushes - this will ensure juiciness of foliage, spectacular and lush flowering. The recommended watering time is in the morning, so that the roots have time to be saturated with moisture before noon. If you moisten the plant during the day, then the water can evaporate very quickly, and in the evening it stays close to the root system for a long time and overmoistens it. The frequency of watering kniphofia is 4-7 days. Experts advise focusing on the condition of the soil next to the bush, if it has dried out from above, then it is time for watering.
- Fertilizers for "torch lily" it is recommended to apply in the spring, when young leaf plates appear. It is necessary to apply fertilizers containing nitrogen or organic matter, which is used as rotted manure. If you exceed the dosage of nitrogen fertilizers, then the plants can become a victim of pests. During the flowering period, complex mineral preparations, such as Kemira-Universal or Fertika, can be used, and after the flowering period is over, it will be necessary to continue feeding with potassium preparations or use ash.
- Knifofia in winter. Since the plant is still a native of the warmer regions of the planet, care in the winter months will directly depend on the region where the tritoma grows. Since the level of winter hardiness is 6 and higher, wintering will differ. If the region is southern, then the plant can winter quietly in the open field. With the arrival of autumn, the leaf rosette is tied into a bunch (just like they do it with yucca), covered with fallen dry leaves on top, and a shelter made of non-woven material (for example, geofabric or spandbond) is erected on top. It happens that the planting of tritomas can freeze out, but this trouble only happens when the water begins to stagnate in the root zone due to thaws, and the temperature drop has nothing to do with it. Therefore, with the arrival of spring heat, it is necessary to change the planting site. In the case of growing in the northern region, any shelter will not save the knyphophia from frost. In the fall, it is recommended to dig up the bush and transplant it into a container (pot or planting box) with nutritious soil and a drainage layer at the bottom. The container is placed in a cool room with a heat reading of 8-10 degrees (a basement or a glazed loggia can act as such a place). With this maintenance, the soil in the pot is kept in a slightly moist state. When the soil in the garden thaws completely with the arrival of spring heat (in the middle of spring), you can transplant to a prepared place.
- Pruning kniphofia. Since most of the varieties are evergreens, it is not worth removing all the deciduous mass with the arrival of November, since during the new growing season the "torch lily" will grow leafy plates and this will also negatively affect its flowering. Only dried leaves are subject to cutting with the arrival of spring, when the shelter is removed. The flowering stems are removed as soon as the flowering on them has already ended.
- General advice on care. Like other garden plants for knifofia, it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil in the root zone and make sure that the bush is not drowned out by weeds.
- Application of kniphofia in landscape design. Since the plant has decorative foliage and beautiful inflorescences, it can be used to design flower beds and mixborders. Tall species are suitable for decorating fences, fences or garden structures. Since it is recommended to place stones near the bush that warm the soil, it is possible to plant tritoma in rockeries and rock gardens. Such a perennial will look good as a solo planting. Due to its moisture-loving nature, knifofia is placed on the banks of reservoirs, both artificial and natural, near swamps or streams.
The flower stalks with inflorescences and in the cut are well worth it, for which the "torch lily" florists are very fond of. At the same time, such a bouquet can remain alive for two weeks.
Recommendations for breeding knifofia
To obtain new plants of "torch lily", seeds are sown or, with the arrival of spring, an overgrown bush is divided.
Seed reproduction of knifophy
Not everyone will be able to get seed on their own, since in our climate (for example, in central Russia) the seed pods do not have time to ripen. Also, hybrid varieties will not be able to transfer their parental properties further to young plants. You can buy planting material in specialized stores and usually a seed mixture is sold there, which includes several types of seeds. Sowing is carried out in late February or early March. Seeds are placed in nutritious and loose soil (for example, sandy-peat) poured into planting containers. After the crops are sprayed from a spray bottle, the container is wrapped in plastic wrap (you can put a piece of glass on top). Such a shelter will maintain an elevated level of humidity and room temperature (approximately 20-24 degrees), which will facilitate successful germination.
With this care, you should regularly ventilate (every day for 15–20 minutes) and if it is noticed that the soil has begun to dry out from above, then it is sprayed again. In this state, sowing is carried out for 2-3 weeks and then the first sprouts of kniphofia become visible. The shoots will be friendly, the shelter is not removed immediately, gradually accustoming the shoots to room temperature, increasing the airing time by 10-15 minutes until the container remains open for a day.
When a couple of real leaves appear on the plant, you can dive - transplant the seedlings into separate pots with the same soil composition. With the arrival of July, they are moved to a prepared place in the garden. The distance between young tritomas should not be less than 30–40 cm. If planting is performed in rows, then the row spacing should be the same. Blossoming will please the seedlings of knifophya only for 2-3 years of life from the moment of sowing.
Reproduction of knifofia by dividing the bush
Since not everyone can get the seeds, and they cannot ripen on their own, the simplest thing will be to divide a large bush into parts. Usually at three years of age, the "torch lily" bush acquires buds in the axils of the leaves growing in the lower part, which become the source of the development of new rosettes - daughter ones. In mid-spring or early May, it is recommended to dig out such bushes and carry out a neat division. At the same time, each daughter rosette must have a sufficient number of root processes. After dividing, all cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and planted in open ground. Until young seedlings adapt, they require regular watering and shading. But you need to organize a light partial shade, strong shading will not allow young knifophia to develop normally. If you do not violate the cultivation techniques, then after a year you can enjoy the exuberant flowering.
Important!!
Once every five years, it is recommended to divide the overgrown rhizome of this perennial, otherwise it will grow.
Pest and disease control in the cultivation of kniphofia
Despite the fact that the plant copes with our winters, it can be noted that it is not resistant to diseases and leaf-eating pests, of which there are a large number in the garden.
If you notice the appearance of yellowness on the leaves or a light cobweb (the pest is a spider mite), shiny brown plaques or sticky plaque on the stems or leaves (the problem is the scale), or the appearance of whitish lumps resembling cotton wool and the same sticky plaque (the pest is a mealy worm), spots and stripes of a silvery shade, roughness (a sign of thrips) are formed on the foliage.
When at least one of these symptoms is detected, it is recommended to immediately carry out treatment with insecticidal preparations, such as Aktara, Aktellik or Fitoverm. Although today there are a lot of such products in specialized stores, it is important that the composition is similar.
Important!!
Usually, the appearance of pests can provoke an overdose of nitrogen fertilizers.
With waterlogged soil, there is a high probability of root rot. If the leaves have become soft, have lost their turgor and turned yellow, then you need to immediately transplant the plant, but before that, the affected parts are removed and treated with a fungicide. It can be Fundazole or Bordeaux liquid. When the disease has gone far, then the bush should be dug up and destroyed so that the infection does not spread to other garden plantings.
Interesting facts about the knifofia flower
Among all garden plants, tritoma stands out for the two-color color of the inflorescences. Since when opened, the color of the colors is always yellow, but when closed, they usually differ in color (mainly red tones). It is the gradual opening of the buds that explains the decorative effect of the flowering of kniphofia. In the lower part, the flowers are bright yellow or yellowish-green, in the upper part - red-coral, orange or scarlet.
A little earlier (until the 90s of the XX century), the plant was attributed to the Liliaceae family, but then the genus was transferred by botanists to the Xantorrea family. Moreover, before this, this association was considered by scientists to be monotypic (only one genus was included) and therefore Kniphofia was attributed to the subfamily Asfollow, which is mistakenly considered a family.
Types of bnifophy
Berry Kniphofia (Kniphofia uvaria)
became the progenitor of a large number of cultivated varieties. The height of this species is the most significant, its flowering stems can reach up to 2 meters, while the inflorescences measure 25 cm. The plant began to grow as a culture in Europe since the 18th century, where it was given such names as "torch lily" or "red-hot poker ". The color of the surface of the leaves is grayish-green, there is a serration at the edge. The length of the xiphoid leaf plate is almost half a meter. A spectacular root rosette is assembled from the leaves.
When blooming, buds are formed with a bright color, which includes a yellow, orange or red hue, but the main tone is coral-reddish. Buds in a spike-shaped inflorescence bloom gradually, so their color smoothly passes from yellowish-green to red shades, while the inflorescence has two parts painted in different tones. This variety begins to bloom with the arrival of July for 2 months. When the flowers wither, they begin to hang. The most spectacular varieties are:
- Flamenco, with a meter tall stems and decorative torch-like compacted inflorescences of red-yellow color.
- Eskimo characterized by flowering stems of the same height. In this case, the inflorescences are characterized by an unusual color: the lower buds are yellow, the upper ones have a bright orange or red-coral tone.
- Surprise pleasing to the eye when flowering with inflorescences, in which the lower flowers are distinguished by petals of a dark pink shade, and the upper ones with a creamy yellow tone.
Hybrid Kniphofia (Kniphofia x hybrida)
combines in itself a rather large list of both forms and varieties, which are bred by breeders on the basis of the basic variety of berry knifofia. The main ones are considered to be:
- Alcazar with a height of flowering stems of about 0.9 m, flowers of an orange hue are collected in inflorescences.
- African guest can be extended by peduncles to a height of 1, 2 m, while they are crowned with inflorescences of burgundy, maroon yellowish and pink flowers.
- Bengal Fire the peduncles have the same height as the previous variety, but its inflorescences are small flowers, their color includes shades of coral, yellow and red. The shape of the inflorescences is sultanate or in the form of a spikelet.
- Flaming torch it has a low height, its stems do not exceed 0.6 m, the inflorescences consist of reddish-yellow flowers.
- Amazing Fun or Amazing Fan. Its height slightly exceeds 1 m. Inflorescences in the form of spikelets or a sultan, they are made up of flowers with an orange-red tint, which turn yellow by the end of their "life".
Kniphofia tuckii
is the most cold-resistant plant of its kind. The height of its stems reaches 0.8–1 m. The length of the grayish-green leaves is 40 cm. The inflorescences are formed by flowers with a light red or greenish-whitish color scheme. The length of the inflorescence reaches 15–20 cm. The buds open from the beginning of July. The hybrids that have been bred to date perfectly winter when grown in central Russia or another temperate climatic zone. Can withstand sudden temperature fluctuations.
Read also about the varieties and varieties of Levisia
Video about growing knifofia in the garden:
