Kniphofia Wrexham Buttercup

Nollie

I have three of these plants, looking healthy with lots of leaves but nary a sign of a flower spike. They are new plants this year, in good, slightly acidic soil, well watered and in a south-west-facing bed. It is meant to be a late summer flowerer, but that, for me, is usually end of June/beginning of July! Does anyone grow this one, and is it usually very late?

fidgetbones

They are probably making  a good root system, and will probably flower next year.

raisingirl

I don't have that particular one but I have got a few of the 'bees' kniphofias. I'd say mine took 3 or 4 years to get in to their stride, with just the odd flower (at odd times) when they were establishing.

Nollie

Oh, thanks @fidgetbones and @raisingirl, I didn’t realise they took a while to establish, I can stop watching them now!

Nollie

Well I stopped watching them, now they have actually started to flower. This is the most advanced plant yesterday:


But today (we did get some decent rain late yesterday) very droopy poker:


Was it just because they got a bit wet, or because they are young plants and not able to support the weight of the flowers yet or maybe a combination of both? Should I cut off all the emerging flowers to allow the plants to get stronger and delay gratification until next year or leave them? Can’t decide!

Silver surfer

No , please leave flowers and enjoy them.
Maybe just stake bent one.
Our Kniphofia planted last year have just started to flower.

Nollie

Thanks for your replies, my temptation was to leave them, @Silver surfer but as they were new tiny plants this year I wondered if it were more responsible to cut the flowers off. Thanks @philippa smith2 they are beauties- start of acid green then a nice clear yellow. Nice surprise they are flowering so soon.