Kniphofia praecox

Quick Characteristics:

Kniphofia praecox Baker is found on streambanks and wet hollows from the Swartberg Mountains to the Eastern Cape. Growing from 1.5 to 2 m, usually in clumps, it has strap-shaped keeled leaves usually with small teeth along the margins. Flowers are in cylindrical racemes, reddish in bud, opening yellow to yellow green with exserted anthers. Flowering in summer (November to January), it is easily mistaken for Kniphofia uvaria, but is more robust with spear-shaped bracts at the base of the flowers. According to Kew this species is now considered to be a hybrid, Kniphofia × praecox Baker, between Kniphofia bruceae and Kniphofia uvaria. Photo and some text from the book Plants of the Klein Karoo courtesy of Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok.