(syn: Asteromoea mongolica) A favorite of the late garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence, this wonderful, slowly spreading perennial arises in spring with 20" tall stems clothed with apple-green, serrated foliage, then topped with creamy white, fully double, 1" chrysanthemum-esque flowers throughout the summer...whew! If you look closely enough, you will notice a light lavender blush to the lower ring of petals...that's for you designer types. Kalimeris pinnatifida blends well into any perennial border as it works to soften dramatic color contrasts. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Knautia 'Thunder and Lightning' is an amazing white-edged foliage sport of the popular pincushion flower, discovered by our friend, Marc Laviana, at Connecticut's Sunny Border Nurseries. For us, Knautia 'Thunder and Lightning' has been a good garden performer. The basal rosette gives rise to 18" stalks of small burgundy pincushions during the summer and often into fall. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Thanks to NC plantsman Jim Massey, for sharing this killer poker that he got from "Lola." Kniphofia 'Lola' is, as we say in the South, a real honker. In other words, it's big, it's bodacious, it's the Bo Derek of the red hot pokers. Our amazing clumps are 5' tall x 5' wide with 6-7' spikes of orange flowers in midsummer...a hub for hummingbirds. This is not for the small garden, small people who are easily intimidated, or those who have been diagnosed with a heart condition. If you want to make a loud statement and you have plenty of room, invite "Lola" into your garden! Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.892 L)
We first picked up this fine dwarf poker in the UK, but it has since performed admirably in our climate, so we are delighted to share. The narrow, grass-like foliage gives rise to 2' tall, narrow spikes of coral-red flowers in July. Kniphofia 'Nancy's Red' is a charming plant and hummingbird attractor, scaled for even the smallest of gardens. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Kniphofia pumila is a little known South African red hot poker species that has been one of the top performers in our poker trials. The small clump of linear green foliage is topped in July with attractive 20" spikes of lime green...an unusual color, but one that is great for creating amazing color combinations. Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.892 L)
This late-flowering South African red hot poker, native to coastal marshes, garnered all the attention at our September Open House. Instead of a typical poker-like flower head, Kniphofia rooperi boasts a broad, squatty head (like a former prez's womenfolk). Each flower head is exquisitely patterned yellow at the bottom and bright orange all the way to the top...a hummingbird delight. For us, the 3' flower spikes of Kniphofia rooperi emerge in August and continue through October. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Once again, we have built up enough stock of Norman Beal's excellent introduction, originating in the garden of Sally and Pat Patterson of Sanford, NC. Kniphofia 'Sally's Comet' starts blooming in late spring and will often rebloom through the summer (moisture dependent). This vigorous grower produces sturdy 3' tall flowering spikes of pure bright yellow...a hummingbird party plant. We predict star status for this new poker! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Kniphofia 'Toffee Nosed' is a wonderful 1980s introduction, selected by John Metcalf of Four Seasons Nursery in the UK. Compared to the larger pokers, the narrow green leaves on this winner of the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Award of Garden Merit make a smallish, 2' wide clump. Starting in June (NC), the 3' tall, narrow flower stalks end in ivory flowers with an orange top...a very unusual color combination in pokers, elegantly stunning and a hummingbird magnet. Be sure to stick one of these pokers up your...I mean, IN your garden! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Named for the Bohemian botanist, V.F. Kosteletzky, this fabulous, upright native (Virginia to Mississippi) perennial mallow, similar to lavatera, emerges from dormancy in late spring and the thick stems quickly zoom to 5' tall. Each kosteletzkya stem is clothed with fuzzy, light green, hibiscus-like leaves. In midsummer, sea shore mallow is clothed with hundreds of 2" clear pink hibiscus-like flowers. Sea shore mallow will grow equally as well in brackish swampy conditions, shallow standing water, or in regular garden soil...a past honoree as the NC Wildflower of the Year! This accession is from seed from SC's ACE Basin Reserve (named for the converging Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers). Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
.jpg "Kosteletzkya virginica 'ACE Basin' (ACE Basin Sea Shore Mallow)")