I've had a clump of yellow red hot poker a raised bed in my garden for the past three years. It likes excellent drainage and full sun. The variety I have blooms once in May.

Several times before this I planted it only to have it sulk all season, then die over the winter.

You know there's some reason why this plant is not widely grown here. I'm not sure what that reason is, but I suspect that RHP is not very happy with the heat/humidity. I wonder what soil pH it prefers. I recall seeing a handsome hedge of red hot poker in a yard in Santa Fe, NM and also saw it used in a number of other gardens there. Yet everything I read says it likes ample water.

Here's some photos I took in May:

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I've had it growing for several years in Savannah under high dappled shade. It has done fine for me.

There is an article in the latest edition of Carolina Gardener on pokers.

It grows wild on the slopes of Mt. Kilamanjaro (spelling?). Mine does so-so here on the Islands. Better drainage would help, I'm sure.

I've tried to establish a collection of hybrids such as Primrose beauty, Little Maid, Border Ballet, Flamenco as well as some other unnamed varieties.
It went okay this Spring, good growth, sporadic flowering(which I expected for being planted late last year).
From what I have read, this plant must not have wet feet in the Winter. Very suseptible to just rotting away.
The interesting thing is that I also read from a source that in the Spring and Summer, It reaallyy like moisture. I gave it plenty. The plants grew,bloomed, and then looked awful.
They are starting to make a comeback. I don't know if it is because the weather has turned cooleror what. I really like these plants, but I'm wondering if my full sun is too full.
I hope to get a nice clump of each variety, but at this point I don't know if they will make it past my trial.
Plants Delight has a variety called Lola. 6 feet high..WHOA!
Hope this helps

Dixie Rose, your yard is beautiful!

Mines does well here, but I stopped planting it in the ground as it would die every time. As mentioned above it does like good drainage..I put mine in a large planter where it gets morning sun, evening shade and it seems happy. My question is how long before it multiplies? trudyjean