Kniphofia Plant Named 'Jackpot'

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Red Hot Poker plant named Kniphofia Jackpot with long, gracefully-arching, strap-like, keeled, glaucous, gray-green foliage and numerous scapes beginning in early summer and repeating though early fall. Habit is densely growing, winter-hardy, tolerant of heat, deer and rabbits. Numerous scapes of vivid reddish-orange flowers on tall scapes beginning in early summer and repeating into early October. The new plant is useful for landscaping as a specimen, en masse, or as a long-lasting cut flower.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Kniphofia plant named Jackpot as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The photographs of Kniphofia Jackpot demonstrate the overall appearance of the plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows the side-view habit of a five-year-old plant in midseason flowering.

[0013] FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers and buds.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0014] The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Kniphofia Jackpot, has not been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions, such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in the genotype. The following observations and size descriptions are of a five-year-old plant in a trial garden of a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. under full sun with supplemental water and fertilizer as needed. [0015] Botanical classification: Kniphofia hybrid; [0016] Parentage: Kniphofia Echo Rojo as the female or seed parent and Papaya Popsicle as the male or pollen parent; [0017] Propagation method: By garden division of the rhizome; [0018] Growth rate: Vigorous, flowering in 3.5 liter containers in about 10 to 12 weeks from a 25 mm plug liner in late winter to spring and from a one-year-old bare root plant to flowering in 6 to 8 weeks in a 4.0 liter container; [0019] Rooting habit: Fibrous from base of rhizomes, lightly branching; color nearest RHS 158C; [0020] Plant description: Dense, rhizomatous, acaulescent, perennial clump with long thin foliage to about 90.0 cm across and about 60.0 cm tall; flowering to about 110.0 cm tall; about 80 peduncles per plant; [0021] Leaves: Linear; keeled at base, triangular in distal half; arranged about 8 leaves per basal division; apex narrowly acute; base truncate, clasping; margin entire; no fragrance observed; [0022] Leaf size: To about 66.5 cm long and 12.0 mm across at base, average about 60.0 cm long and 10.0 mm across at base; [0023] Leaf color: Young base nearest RHS 158B both abaxial and adaxial, distally nearest RHS 146B both abaxial and adaxial; mature both surfaces between RHS 137A and RES 137B; [0024] Leaf venation: Parallel; color same as leaf abaxial and adaxial; [0025] Stem: Acaulescent; rhizome about 18.0 mm across at base; [0026] Inflorescence: In spike-like raceme; terete; about 100 flowers per stem; flowering portion to about 27.0 cm tall and about 6.0 cm across; lasting about three weeks; flower spacing less than 1.0 mm apart on raceme in distal region and about 2.5 cm in lowest flowers; [0027] Peduncle: Terete; glabrous; glaucous; solid not fistulose; to about 90.0 cm long and 9.0 mm diameter; average 86.0 cm tall and 8.5 mm diameter; [0028] Peduncle color: Nearest RHS 146D; [0029] Buds one day prior to opening: Ellipsoidal to tubular with swollen subacute apex and rounded base; glabrous; lustrous; about 20.0 mm long and about 3.0 mm diameter at base and 6.0 mm diameter at widest point near apex; [0030] Bud attitude: Beginning outwardly and drooping as maturing toward anthesis; [0031] Bud color: Abaxial distal and dorsal portions between RHS 33A and RHS 33B becoming nearest RHS 24A in ventral with ventral veins nearest RHS N25B; [0032] Flowers: Cylindrical forming tubular corolla; perfect; actinomorphic; individually open and effective about three to four days; [0033] Corolla size: To about 22.0 mm long, fused in basal about 19.0 mm; face to about 8.0 mm tall and about 8.0 mm wide; tube about 3.5 mm diameter near base and about 5.5 mm near throat; [0034] Flower lastingness: Individual flowers last for about 3 to 5 days; inflorescence effective for about 3 weeks as cut flower; [0035] Flower attitude: Drooping; [0036] Flower fragrance: None detected; [0037] Flowering period: Individual racemes effective for about 3 weeks; beginning early summer Michigan for about six weeks, then continuing with repeat racemes until early fall with a short two week break in the heat of the summer; [0038] Tepals: Six, in two sets of three; both sets with acute apices and fused in basal 19.0 mm forming tube; margin entire; glabrous and lustrous abaxial and adaxial; about 22.0 mm long and about 4.0 mm across just above fusion point; inner set with lighter 1.0 mm wide margin; [0039] Tepal color (young abaxial): Distal 3.0 mm of outer tepal set nearest RHS 33B; inner set with 1.0 mm margin of RHS 11D; both sets with midrib nearest RHS 33A and main portion nearest RHS 21D toward base and distally nearest RHS 33B; (young adaxial): distal 3.0 mm of outer tepal set nearest RHS 34B; inner set with 1.0 mm margin nearest RHS NN155; both sets with midrib nearest RHS 28B and main portion proximally nearest RHS 19B and distally between RHS 32 C and RHS 32D; [0040] Tepal color (mature abaxial): Both inner and outer sets identically variable between RHS 13C and RHS 15B with nearest RHS 33B near base, inner set with lighter margin of nearest RHS 4D; (mature adaxial): inner and outer sets identical except for inner set with lighter margin nearest RHS 4D; dorsal nearest RHS 15A and ventral nearest RHS 17B with midrib nearest 18A; [0041] Androecium: Six; variable lengths; [0042] Filaments.Six; exserted; terete; glabrous; lustrous; from about 24.0 to 30.0 mm long and about 0.7 mm diameter; color nearest RHS 1B. [0043] Anther.Slightly flattened ellipsoidal; flattened ventrally to dorsally; about 2.0 mm long and 1.5 mm across and 1.0 mm thick; color nearest RHS 13B. [0044] Pollen.Abundant color nearest RHS 11A. [0045] Grynoecium: Single; about 25.0 mm long; [0046] Style.Terete; glabrous; lustrous; about 22.0 mm long and 0.3 mm diameter: color nearest RHS 1B. [0047] Stigma.Flattened, round; about 0.3 mm across; color nearest RHS 19A. [0048] Ovary.Superior; globose; rounded apex, truncate base; about 2.5 mm long and 2.5 mm diameter; color nearest RHS 144C. [0049] Pedicel: Terete; glabrous; stiff; drooping; about 3.5 mm long and about 1.0 mm diameter; [0050] Pedicel color: Nearest RHS 183B; [0051] Bracts: Lanceolate; at cauline nodes and single bract subtending individual flowers; with acute apices and truncate base; margin entire; dehiscent; to about 11.0 mm long and 5.0 mm across at base; decreasing distally; average about 5.0 mm long and 2.5 mm across; translucent, color blushed with nearest RHS 167B adaxial and abaxial; [0052] Fruit: Tri-valved loculicidal capsule; ellipsoidal; about 6.0 mm long and 4.5 mm across; glabrous; with rounded apex and rounded base; typically five to nine seeded; color upon maturity nearest RHS 200A; [0053] Seed: Irregular with angular sides, acute apex and base; about 4.0 mm long and 2.5 mm across; color nearest RHS 200A; [0054] Disease and pest resistance: Jackpot resistance beyond that of other Kniphofia has not been observed. The plant grows best with good drainage and is able to tolerate some heat when established. Hardiness at least from USDA zone 6 through 9 and 5b with protection.