Re: Kniphofias

It might stand to reason that most Kniphofia species
would grow well in cooler summer climates, as most
species are native to the mountains with summer
rainfall, such as the Drakensburg Mtns.  Most also
will be found in well drained yet moisture retentive
peaty soils with underlying persistent water in
drainage courses, and can handle waterlogged soils in
summer, but not in winter in combination with cold.

I have seen K northii and K. caulescens in bloom here
at the San Francisco Botanic Garden, and the northii
is particularly bold and spectacular.

As to longer blooming seasons in cooler summer
climates, I still find the K. uvaria cultivars to be
rather short blooming, (at most 6 weeks), even here in
cool summer Berkeley, and only occasionally see long
blooming winter season cultivars that will bloom for
months on end.  There is one cultivar planted along
the freeway side of Aquatic Park here in Berkeley that
seems to bloom for 3 to 4 months each year.  I also
have K. uvaria 'Christmas Cheer' which will bloom
nearly all year round at my brother's house along the
coast, but only blooms for 2 months or so here in the
east bay.  I suspect that the cooler and balmier temps
right next to the beach do prolong the blooming period
in this case.  I can't say that I have ever noticed
any of the other K. uvaria cultivars to bloom any less
or more so in different years  here locally, and the
recent heat wave has done no harm to abundantly
blooming yellow forms in bloom at the moment here in
my garden.  This same plant will bloom significantly
less with sparse summer irrigation, and a good
mulching with chicken manure favors me with much more
abundant bloom as well.
--- Catherine Ratner <catherineratner@earthlink.net>
wrote:

> I have quite a few dwarf hybrids that Armstrong
> Nurseries sold in six-packs.
> They all a little different from each other.  They
> have done very well for
> me in my cool coastal garden and bloomed for
> prolonged periods, until this
> atypical year, because of the heat which they appear
> to loathe.  Flowers
> were shrunken, few, and lasted only a few days.  The
> leaves did not suffer.
> Now that it is cooler, they are blooming again,
> sparcely.  Cathy
> 
>
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