{"product_id":"papaya-popsicle-red-hot-poker","title":"Papaya Popsicle Red Hot Poker","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"pd-title-head\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eKniphofia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Papaya Popsicle'\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sunny borders, hot and dry sites, outdoor containers, hummingbird gardens, cutting gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits:\u003c\/strong\u003e A red hot poker scaled down to fit a real garden bed. Two-tone red and yellow spikes rise barely above a neat, grassy clump, and the plant reblooms in succession from early summer into fall rather than firing once and quitting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6–9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLife Cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hardy Perennial\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Clumping, upright — grassy tuft with stout flower scapes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Red and yellow\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12–20 in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18 in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Early summer into fall\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fast\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe old objection to red hot pokers was scale. They were four or five feet of coarse, floppy foliage that bloomed hard for two weeks and then sulked for the rest of the summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Papaya Popsicle' is the corrective. The foliage clump is fine-textured and grassy, holding around a foot, and the flower scapes rise to roughly 20 inches — small enough to sit near the front of a bed or anchor a container. The spikes carry tubular flowers in ripe papaya shades, red in bud and opening yellow from the base upward, so each one displays both colors simultaneously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bigger improvement is timing. Rather than one flush, spikes come in succession from June through October. Cut the spent ones and the plant simply sends more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHummingbirds find it quickly and work it persistently. Deer and rabbits leave it alone. In a hot, well-drained spot it asks for very little.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePapaya Popsicle Red Hot Poker Care\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFull sun, all day. Kniphofia will survive partial shade but flowers noticeably less.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrainage is the single factor that determines whether this plant thrives or dies, and it matters most in winter. Sandy or gritty soil enriched with some organic matter is ideal; any deep, well-drained soil will do. Standing water on the crown in cold weather is fatal. In heavier ground, amend with grit or plant on a raised mound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater regularly through the first season. After that, established plants are markedly drought tolerant, though they bloom more generously with occasional deep watering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeeding is optional. On lean soil, a single spring application of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/slow-release-fertilizer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eslow release fertilizer\u003c\/a\u003e supports the long bloom cycle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemove flower scapes at the base as they finish to keep new ones coming. Cutting the foliage back by about half after the main flush tidies the clump.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoing into winter, either tie the foliage up over the crown or cut it off at the base in late fall. Both approaches keep water from collecting in the crown, which is the usual cause of winter loss at the cold edge of its range.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDivide every three to five years by separating offsets from the outside of the clump in spring. Plants left undivided much longer than that decline.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContainer growing: water when the top inch of mix is dry and never let the pot sit in a saucer of standing water. Use a gritty, free-draining mix. Feed lightly every four to six weeks in active growth. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSize\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat Size is the Papaya Popsicle Red Hot Poker for Sale Online?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Papaya Popsicle Red Hot Poker ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants may arrive with buds or blooms during the active growing season. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow Large Does Papaya Popsicle Red Hot Poker Grow?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExpect a mature height of about 12–20 in. and a spread of roughly 18 in. in the garden. Growth rate is fast. If you have questions about spacing for your site, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat are some common names for this plant?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree are in common use, listed from most to least frequent:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRed hot poker\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTorch lily\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTritoma\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow tall does it actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe leaf clump holds around 12 inches and spreads to roughly 18. Flower scapes carry the spikes to about 20 inches. Published figures vary a little because some sources measure foliage and others measure to the top of the bloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy is it hardy only to Zone 6 when other perennials in the border go colder?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eKniphofia\u003c\/em\u003e originates in the mountain grasslands of South Africa, and its winter limitation is wet more than cold. Crowns that stay saturated through freeze and thaw cycles rot. Sharp drainage and covering or removing the foliage in fall meaningfully extend its reliability at the cold end of the range.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDo hummingbirds really use it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsistently. The flowers are tubular and nectar-rich, which is close to a template for hummingbird pollination. The long succession of bloom means the plant stays useful to them from early summer through fall rather than for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs it deer resistant?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReliably so, and rabbits generally pass on it as well. No plant is entirely deer proof under enough pressure, but this one sits near the resistant end of the range.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Almanac Planting Co","offers":[{"title":"4 Inch \/ Fall '26 Pre-Order","offer_id":47549108650146,"sku":"APC-KNPP-4in-1yr","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/9374\/6850\/files\/Kniphofia-Papaya-Popsicle-5.jpg?v=1787666035","url":"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/papaya-popsicle-red-hot-poker","provider":"Almanac Planting Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}