''Kniphofia rooperi'', Rooper’s red-hot poker, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Asphodelaceae,

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to the Eastern Cape of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

. Growing to tall, it is a robust

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

with strap-shaped leaves produced at an angle from the main stem. In autumn the stout central stems bear flattened oval flowerheads consisting of many tubular florets packed closely together. Green in bud, the flowers open to bright red and fade from the base to yellow and brown, thus giving the appearance of a red-hot poker. ''K. rooperi'' is valued in horticulture for its architectural qualities and late season flowering, and is equally at home in the mixed flower border and in more naturalistic plantings. It is hardy down to . It requires a situation in full sun, which is reliably moist but well-drained. Excessive dryness may prevent flowerheads from forming, while bad drainage can cause the crown to rot. The evergreen foliage may become untidy during the winter months. It has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

’s Award of Garden Merit.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5960231 rooperi