Spotting the. Red hot pokers do best in moderate temperatures, between 60ºF and 90ºF. All about Red Hot Poker plants, aka Torch Lilies. Learn how to choose a variety of this unusual, flowering perennial for your growing conditions. Enhance soil drainage and adjust watering to prevent future rot. . Fertilizer. After that, these plants can survive in some periods of. Unless soil is of very. red hot poker plant poisonous. Trim and treat with fungicide to combat root decay effectively. A plant I like, but for the moment is missing from my garden, is red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria). Red hot poker plant care involves regular watering until these plants are established. I like the plant - it should do well in my garden and. They aren't fussy about humidity.