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What To Consider Before Planting Red Hot Pokers In Your Yard
By ROSE OKEKE
When contemplating the addition of red hot pokers to your yard, there are several crucial factors to bear in mind to ensure they complement your outdoor space effectively.
These plants can grow 3 to 5 feet at the base, and their flowers can soar up to an impressive 6 feet, making them an ideal choice for larger gardens, particularly as border plants.
They are drought and heat-tolerant, thriving in hardy zones 5 to 9, but require well-drained soil to prevent root rot. Also, their watering needs decrease once they're established.
These striking perennials benefit from regular deadheading of flowers and early to mid-spring pruning of dead or damaged leaves, which encourages healthy growth and reflowering.
When in bloom, red hot pokers attract hummingbirds and bees, aiding in pollination. Their presence also keeps grazing animals like deer and rabbits away from your garden.
However, they can spread aggressively through wind-dispersed seeds and rhizomatic division, leading to their classification as invasive in some regions like California and Oregon.