Sunshine Farm and Gardens: Glick Pick Archives: Kniphofia thompsonii snowdenii

Sunshine Farm and Gardens

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Kniphofia thompsonii snowdenii

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I love stumping the experts, and when it comes to Bulbous and South African plants, there is no better expert in my mind than Brent Heath of Brent and Beckys Bulbs in Gloucester VA. So when I asked Brent to ID a photo of Kniphofia thompsonii snowdenii in my booth at the Perennial Plant Symposium last July in Lansing MI, I was delighted that he misidentified it as Watsonia or Lachenalia.

That's how unique, this hardy, easy to grow, rhizomatous member of the Liliaceae family is.

I obtained the seeds over 10 years ago from the Alpine Garden Society Seed Exchange in the UK. Since then the clump has spread to about a 3 foot diameter circle. I noticed yesterday that it was just starting to send up its 3' - 4' flower spikes. The individual florets are about an inch apart, leaving just enough room to showcase them as an individual performers cloaked in their warm, soft orange color.

They last for weeks and make a great cut flower.

I've tried desperately for years to get a seed set, but alas, my efforts, which included some contorted antics with pipe cleaners, Q tips and paint brushes have been in vain. The plant puts out a good bit of new plants yearly and they can be dug and transplanted very easily.

Barry Glick, Sunshine Farm and Gardens
696 Glicks Rd, Renick, WV 24966, USA
Phone: (304) 497-2208
E-mail: barry@sunfarm.com

Last modified February 25, 2020
URL: https://www.sunfarm.com/picks/kniphofiathompsoniisnowdenii-120419.phtml