Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
High Roller Red Hot Poker: Two-Tone Torches Behind Lavender
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High Roller red hot poker sends up club-shaped torches that are coral orange at the tip and creamy white below, so every spike carries two colors at once. The spikes stand 3 to 4 feet tall on stout bare stems above a big clump of arching, grassy leaves, and they keep coming for weeks through the heart of summer.
In a lavender garden it plays the exclamation point. Lavender makes soft purple mounds; High Roller shoots straight up behind them like a lit match.
High Roller at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Kniphofia 'High Roller' |
| Flowers | Coral orange buds opening creamy white, two-tone torches |
| Foliage | Large clump of arching, grassy green leaves |
| Size | 36 to 48 inches tall in flower, 24 to 28 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts late June, peaks mid-July, long blooming with moderate rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 6-9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Great for pollinators and hummingbirds; moderately deer resistant |
Why it belongs near lavender
Red hot poker and lavender want the same things: full sun, lean soil and drainage that never lets water sit around the crown. That shared taste makes them easy to manage as one planting. Set High Roller one row behind your lavender so its spikes rise over the purple mounds without shading them, and the warm coral against cool purple does the rest.
Its main bloom lines up with lavender's peak, and hummingbirds and bees will work both. Sketch the layout in the Companion Plant Planner to check heights before you plant.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun, lean to average soil, sharp drainage. A slope or raised bed is ideal.
- Water: regularly while it settles in, then sparingly. It handles drought once established.
- Deadheading: cut finished spikes down at the base to encourage more torches.
- Heat and humidity: it keeps blooming in hot, sunny summers. Wet, heavy soil in a humid spell is the main way to lose it to crown rot.
Getting it through a Michigan winter
Zone 6 is the cold edge of this plant's range, which covers a lot of Michigan. Give it the warmest, best-drained spot you have, such as near a south-facing wall. Do not cut the foliage in fall; the leaves fold over and protect the crown. Add mulch after the ground freezes and tidy the old leaves in spring. Not sure where you stand? The USDA Zone Finder will tell you.
Cut flowers and the bare root format
High Roller is a good cut flower with long, sturdy stems, though it does not dry well, so enjoy it fresh. It is offered as a bare root plant, which is the simplest way to start a new clump; plant it as soon as the soil can be worked and keep it watered until new leaves appear. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Does High Roller smell like anything?
No. It has no notable fragrance, so lavender stays the scent of the bed.
Will deer eat it?
It is moderately deer resistant and seldom bothered by deer or rabbits, which suits open, rural lavender plantings.
How long until it blooms well?
Bare root plants need a season to build a clump. Expect a fuller show of torches once the plant is established.
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