Red Hot Poker
BUSH INVADER
Kniphofia uvaria
family: ASPHODELACEAE
Description
- Red Hot Poker is a large, hardy perennial lily to about 1.5m from southern Africa. It has a thick clumping habit, and will tolerate most conditions. A garden ornamental, currently heavily promoted as 'water-wise'. Also called Torch Lily.
- Stiff, slightly fleshy narrow leaves to 90cm long rise from the base. They have a V-shaped profile, and a distinct keel-shaped mid-vein on the underside.
- A large torch-like cluster of small drooping tubular flowers, usually of two colours, rises above the foliage on a stout erect stem. These flowers produce copius bird-attracting nectar. Flowers in late summer.
- Each small flower produces a capsule containing many seeds.
Dispersal
Seeds are wind blown, can travel on tyres, shoes, clothing and in soil. Red Hot Poker clumps vigorously, spreads by and regrows from its rhizomes, and from garden dumping on bushland edges.
Impact on Bushland
Red Hot Poker seeks out sensitive and fragile bushland such as swamps, moist forest and creeklines. It spreads rapidly, its dense clumps excluding the roots of other plants. and preventing the germination of their seeds. Regenerates strongly and spreads widely after fire.
Distribution
Capable of spreading throughout the Blue Mountains.
Alternative Planting
Native Plants
Flowers and/or fruit to attract birds - and water-wise:
local Banksias, Hakeas, Grevilleas, Callistemons
Flax Lilies (Dianella species)
Saw-sedges (Gahnia species)
Exotic replacements
Most exotic lilies have weed potential.
Escallonia (Escallonia macrantha)
Control
Cut and bag flower and seed heads and send to tip.
Dig out with a mattock, removing all roots and rhizomes.
Cut below crown and paint top of rhizome.
Try weed wiping leaves.
Follow-up will be required, removing or treating seedlings and resprouting.
Red Hot Poker regenerates strongly and spreads widely after fire: before this hanging swamp was burnt there were only a few clumps; now Red Hot Poker dominates this fragile ecosystem.
Red Hot Poker has a thick clumping habit, with long narrow leaves rising from the base.
A large cluster of small drooping tubular flowers, usually of two colours, rises above the foliage on a stout erect stem.
photo © Pam Studd
Red Hot Poker flowers produce large amounts of nectar, attracting honeyeaters such as the New Holland.
photo: © Pam Studd
Red Hot Poker seeks out sensitive and fragile bushland such as this creekline in Leura, growing along with many other weeds.
