WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Kniphofia uvaria hybrids and cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water red hot poker in California

In July in the Central Valley, established red hot poker in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.9 gallons a week. Red hot poker, or torch lily, is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial from southern Africa with long, grassy leaves. Stout stems 2 to 6 feet tall carry dense spikes of drooping tubular flowers that open red and turn yellow from the bottom up. It does best in full sun and average to sandy soil that drains, and wet, heavy soil kills it.

PerennialRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water red hot poker, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for red hot poker and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1 foot of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 3 inches down beside the clump during bloom signals red hot poker can take a soak
  • Leaves going limp and gray in a long hot spell can indicate thirst
  • Flower spikes fading quickly during a hot, dry stretch can follow a dry root zone
  • A mushy crown after wet weather in clay points to rot from poor drainage

How to water it

  • Water at the base of the clump with drip or a slow hose
  • Soak several inches down, then let the soil dry before the next soak
  • Plant in full sun in average to sandy, well-drained soil
  • Site it out of strong wind
  • Remove spent flower spikes promptly

Through the seasons

Water a new clump regularly until it settles, then let the soil dry between deeper soaks. Once established it is best left undisturbed. It is evergreen, and flowers appear from late spring through summer, so the warm months are when water matters. Winter rain is usually enough in coastal and valley gardens. WUCOLS rates red hot poker low water on the north-central coast, on the south coast and in South Inland. The Central Valley, the high desert and the low desert carry a moderate water rating.

In pots

Red hot poker can grow in a deep, heavy pot that holds its tall spikes upright. Use a sandy, well-drained mix and water when the top couple of inches dry, letting it drain freely. In summer, check every few days. Empty the saucer. Cut spent spikes at the base. In winter, water rarely and keep the pot out of standing rain. Divide it when the clump crowds the pot.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Red Hot Poker: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.40.310.310.740.78
Feb0.210.650.320.350.930.93
Mar0.351.090.460.521.461.52
Apr0.471.520.560.641.891.95
May0.582.080.640.782.392.45
Jun0.642.480.690.922.852.79
Jul0.642.670.7913.042.85
Aug0.62.390.740.932.792.6
Sep0.51.80.60.742.142.08
Oct0.351.180.460.531.461.49
Nov0.190.560.330.360.930.96
Dec0.120.340.260.270.650.68
Year4.817.116.27.3721.2721.08

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like red hot poker. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

DahliasDahlia spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernsNephrolepis cordifolia (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyDayliliesHemerocallis spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBegoniasBegonia & ssp. & cvs. (shade in the desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCalla LiliesZantedeschia aethiopica SHADE IN DESERTmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBicolor MonkshoodAconitum cammarummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGarden MonkshoodAconitum napellusmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCarpet BugleAjuga reptans (shade)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySnowdrop WindflowerAnemone sylvestrismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain SandwortArenaria montanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySwamp MilkweedAsclepias incarnatamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyOrange MilkweedAsclepias tuberosamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGreater MasterwortAstrantia majormoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHardy BegoniaBegonia grandismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWax BegoniaBegonia semperflorensmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than red hot poker in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyIrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPurple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCalifornia Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWoolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPerennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes red hot poker, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water red hot poker in summer?

In July, established red hot poker in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days in the Central Valley, about every 18 days on the south coast and about every 14 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does red hot poker need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established red hot poker needs about 0.3 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for red hot poker change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates red hot poker separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Is red hot poker good for pollinators?

Its tubular flowers suit pollinator gardens. Bloom runs from late spring into summer. It suits pollinator gardens.

Do deer eat red hot poker?

It is resistant to deer damage. It is also slightly salt tolerant. Wet soil is a bigger threat than deer.

Should I divide red hot poker?

It is best left undisturbed once established, but crowded clumps can be divided as needed. Replant pieces in sandy soil. Water divisions until they root.

Why are my red hot poker flowers changing color?

The flowers open red and turn yellow as they mature, from the bottom of the spike up. That two-tone look is normal. It is not a water issue.

Why did my red hot poker rot?

It will not tolerate wet, heavy soil. Plant it in sandy, well-drained ground or a raised bed. Water only when the soil is dry.

More plant watering guides

ForsythiaWhite AshEuropean AshOregon AshFlowering AshGreen AshArizona AshFuchsia

Sources