grow Red Hot Poker in container?

Discussion in 'Annuals, Biennials, Perennials, Ferns and Bulbs' started by chemicalx, Mar 21, 2008.

  1. chemicalx

    chemicalx Active Member

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    Location:
    Torrance, CA; USA
    I have some Kniphofia uvaria (Red Hot Poker) seedlings that I started, and am wondering if I might be able to grow them in a container, or if they need to be placed in the ground? The only information I've been able to find is that they have long taproots, so I assume the container would have to be quite deep. But how tall of a container would be deep enough?

    Anyone have experience with these?

    Thanks,
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Usually sold growing in pots.
     
  3. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Victoria Australia [cool temperate]
    I grow these out in the garden as part of my background plantings along with blue and white agapanthus. They can grow into large clumps and look really stunning. I don't know how warm it is where you are but they are happy in a range of 0C - 40 C around here and don't need watering once they get going unless you get no rain at all.

    Liz
     
  4. chemicalx

    chemicalx Active Member

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    For permanent planting, not the plastic pots for transplant? I've always only seen them in landscape plantings.

    So..how tall should the container be to handle a full grown plant?

    Yeah, I think they'll do fine here - I'm in a warm climate as well - I believe I'm in Zone 10 (or 11?), on the Southern California coast. They're gorgeous plants, I've just never seen them grown in a container before.
     
  5. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, Dunbar area
    We are in zone 7 and my neighbor has had a clump in his garden for 20 years. It dies to the ground each winter of course. I have grown one plant from seed - it is Kniphofia Rooperi and is just about to flower any day now - and I plan to leave it outside during the winter, although to be safe I will dig the planter in which it is located into the ground..
     

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