Plant Type

Perennial

 

Height Range

1-3'

 

Flower Color

Yellow

 

Flower Season

Summer

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Low, Medium

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish

 

Accenting Features

Showy Flowers

 

Seasonal Interest

Summer

 

Location Uses

Perennial Border, Shrub Border, Foundation, Patio, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Cut Flowers, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

Hummingbirds

'Little Maid' is a kniphofia cultivar selected for its soft, lemony yellow flowers tinged with orange. The flowers are arranged in whorls along a thick, rigid stem and held above the foliage, which is green, fleshy, and sort of yucca-like (without the spiny tip). The foliage clump stands about 15 inches tall (and 15 to 18 inches wide) and the flower spire rises to 18 to 24 inches. A distinctive addition to a sunny border or rock garden. And its lack of a sharp tip makes it a friendlier choice for a parkstrip. Loved by butterflies.

Kniphofia grows best in very well drained soil, preferably sandy-loam soils, in full sun to mostly sun. They will grow in a clay soil that has been amended with compost. Boggy or wet soils will be their demise. Deadhead to prolong bloom and to keep the plant looking tidy. Also commonly called red-hot poker, this name gets a little confusing when used with cultivars that aren't, well, red, so we prefer the common name torchlily. An excellent cut flower. Sometimes evergreen in a mild winter or where planted to maximize winter sun.