Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Orange Blaze Red Hot Poker: Compact Orange Torches for Lavender
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Orange Blaze red hot poker is one of the most compact red hot pokers, with bright orange tubular flowers packed densely onto short, club-shaped spikes that are well scaled to the plant. It reblooms, carrying color late into the season, and hummingbirds visit often.
Orange and purple are a bold pair, and Orange Blaze makes the case well. It likes the same full sun and sharp, lean drainage as lavender.
Orange Blaze at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Kniphofia 'Orange Blaze' |
| Flowers | Bright orange tubular florets on short, dense spikes |
| Foliage | Long, narrow, arching and grass-like |
| Size | 24 to 30 inches tall in flower, 18 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Summer, with rebloom later in the season |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 6 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Hummingbirds; deer and rabbits seldom bother it |
Vertical fire behind purple mounds
Lavender is a mound; Orange Blaze is a torch. Planted just behind a row of lavender, its upright orange spikes rise over the purple in summer for a high-contrast, complementary pairing that looks great in a hot, dry garden. Because it is compact, it fits smaller sunny borders and the front of larger ones without towering over the lavender. Its grassy leaves also echo lavender's narrow foliage.
For a softer version, pair it with pale yellow companions and gray foliage; for full drama, go straight to deep violet lavender. Try layouts in the Companion Plant Planner.
Winter in the Great Lakes
Orange Blaze is rated for zones 6 to 9, so check your zone with the USDA Zone Finder before planting. In zone 6 and in colder spots, success comes down to two things: drainage and shelter. Plant it on a slope, a raised bed or beside a south-facing wall, and add a winter mulch over the root zone, kept off the lavender crowns nearby. Leave the foliage standing over winter to protect the crown, and tidy it in spring.
Planting and care
- Soil: lean to average, well drained. It rots in soggy winter soil, just like lavender.
- Water: regular watering the first season, then it handles drought.
- Deadheading: cut spent flower spikes at the base to encourage more blooms.
- Spring: trim away winter-damaged foliage once new growth starts.
- Bare root: set the crown at about soil level, not buried deeply, and water it in.
Plug tray or bare root
Orange Blaze is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray for growers and large plantings, and as a bare root plant for direct planting. See each product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Will it survive a Michigan winter?
It is hardy in zones 6 to 9. In zone 6 and in colder spots, give it sharp drainage, a sheltered site and a winter mulch.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the tubular orange flowers often.
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