Red hot pokers send up stiff, upright spikes of tubular flowers above a coarse grassy clump, and they bring a sculptural edge that softer perennials can't match. Glow Stick is a hummingbird magnet, and the spikes stand well above the foliage through the warm months.

Plant it where it gets full sun and a spot that sheds water in winter, since wet cold ground is what rots the crown here. Set it at the back of a border or among gravel and dry beds, where its upright form contrasts with lower, rounder plants.