Little Maid Red Hot Poker

Little Maid Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia 'Little Maid') is a dwarf poker with fine grassy leaves and slender spikes about 50 to 60cm tall. Pale green buds open creamy ivory-yellow from summer into autumn, on a clump roughly 45cm wide. It is the poker for pots and the front of a border, where the larger kinds would be out of scale.

Why you'll love it

• Dwarf habit. Spikes of 50 to 60cm and a narrow clump let it fit where full-sized pokers cannot.
• Ivory-yellow flowers. Pale green buds open to a soft, creamy ivory-yellow that blends with almost any colour.
• Long season. Slender spikes come from summer and continue into autumn.
• Fine foliage. The leaves are narrow and grassy, giving a neat, light texture.
• Good in containers. Its size and tidy growth suit a sunny pot on a patio or balcony.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. Use a free-draining mix in a pot with good drainage holes, in a position with sun for most of the day.

Front of the border. Plant in groups along the front edge of a sunny bed, where the fine spikes rise through lower plants.

Small and narrow beds. It gives the upright poker shape in courtyard beds and beside paths without crowding them.

Growing Little Maid Red Hot Poker in Australia

Position and climate. Plant in full sun. Pokers flower poorly in shade and the clumps flop. They grow well across temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens and tolerate frost.

Soil. Good drainage matters more than rich soil. Sandy and gravelly soils suit them, and clay should be opened up or mounded so the crown never sits wet over winter.

Water and feed. Water regularly through the first summer. Established clumps are drought tolerant, though a deep soak as the flower stems rise gives taller, fuller heads. Feed in spring with a slow-release fertiliser.

Tidying and dividing. Cut spent stems off at the base and pull away dead leaves in late winter. Divide crowded clumps in autumn or early spring.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Little Maid Red Hot Poker as tube stock: one young plant per tube, sold singly. Tube stock establishes quickly because the roots have never circled a pot. Plant out or pot up soon after arrival, water in well and keep the soil just moist for the first weeks. Expect a season of growth before the plant flowers well. Our growers do not hold every size all year, so a size can show as on backorder at times. An order for a backorder size is confirmed with you before anything ships.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more flowering plants
• Bird attracting plants
• Drought tolerant plants for dry gardens
• Perennial plants for a cottage garden

Common questions

How many plants do I get?

Each tube holds one young plant and tubes are sold singly, so order the number of plants you need.

Can Little Maid grow in a pot?

Yes, it is one of the better pokers for pots. Give it full sun, a free-draining mix and regular water in summer.

How far apart should I plant?

About 35 to 40cm apart for a group that closes up along the front of a border.