Name: Kniphofia ‘Mango Popsicle’ ‘Papaya Popsicle’ and ‘Pineapple Popsicle’
Type of Plant: Perennial for full sun in zones 6 -8
Why I love this: In the past I didn’t pay any attention to the Kniphofias commonly known as red hot pokers. They were glorious for the ten minutes when they were in bloom, but after that they didn’t bring much to my party. After suffering through a short flowering period I found that they frequently died in the first winter. So I wrote them off and moved on to other perennials. Then Terra Nova Nurseries sent me some of their Popsicle series to try and I have fallen in love.
These plants keep blooming! I just planted and ignored the sample plants I received, since that is how I see what a plant will do when most people grow it, and wonder of wonders they continued to flower. And flower, and flower and flower. I loved the plants in my trial garden so much I bought more this year and have placed them in prime time locations. Now I deadhead them, not to stimulate new flowers but to clean up the plant so that the continual flowering shows off well.
A Word to the Wise: Kniphofia does best in well drained soils. In general they hate having wet feet, so if your soil tends toward the rich or clay side, place these on a slope.
This was the original test plant that Terra Nova sent me. I understand that these perennials don’t like to be transplanted very much so instead of moving this one out of the test garden, I just bought some more! The mango color develops more as the flowers mature – this one just started blooming in mid-July, but you can see that it is going gangbusters.
These are three Papaya Popsicle that I bought at the garden center in May. Yes, I have planted them with the new bi-color pink carpet rose. I am in agreement with the many cultures around the world who think that orange and pink are a perfectly exciting color combination.
