Kaffir Lily
Clivia miniata, or the Kaffir lily, is an eye-catching bulbous plant with large leaves and white flowers that bloom in early summer.
The name comes from its origin as an exotic houseplant brought to Europe by Dutch settlers in the 17th century.
The leaves stack on top of each other, and at the top of the plant, it produces fantastic flowers in shades of orange.
You can also grow it outside, where it needs at least moderately shady areas. It will survive outside as long as there is no risk of frost.
It’s a very easy plant to care for. You should water it regularly during dry spells, but don’t overdo it.
Kalmia
Kalmia latifolia (see also Everything You Should Know About Kalmia), commonly known as mountain laurel, is a deciduous shrub native to North America.
It grows up to 10 meters tall and has glossy green leaves. It’s part of the heath plant family, and the Kalmia shrub comes from the eastern parts of the US.
It blooms in late spring and early summer, producing small white flowers.
Kangaroo Paw
Anigozanthos, commonly called kangaroo paw, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant from the bloodwort family.
It has grass-like foliage and vivid flowers in shades of red. The plant was first discovered in Australia, but today it can be found all around the world as an ornamental plant.
It’s a great choice for gardens which see little rainfall, because it doesn’t require much water.
King Protea
Proteas are an important group of plants (see also The Protea Genus), and maybe the most well known is the king protea.
This beautiful shrub is a fantastic ornamental plant, especially if you have a garden full of greenery.
It has bright, bowl-shaped flowers which can reach 30cm in diameter, and large, leathery leaves.
You may also know this plant as the Cape artichoke flower because of the shape of the blooms, or Protea cynaroides.
If you give it sandy or loamy, well-draining soil, it should flower in spring and summer, in the brightest position possible.
One thing to note is that this plant is not hardy, so you will need to grow it somewhere sheltered.
It won’t grow in alkaline soil, so you may be better off growing it in a pot if your garden doesn’t have neutral or acidic soil.
Knautia Macedonica
Also known as the Macedonian scabious, Knautia macedonica is a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to the Caprifoliaceae plant family.
This plant produces red flowers which look a little like scabious, appearing in early summer. It can be an annual or a brief perennial, depending on where you live.
It can be found across Central Europe, and forms clumps of flowers. It needs damp soil, with at least partial shade, making it a good choice to fill in the gaps beneath shrubs and trees.
This plant is frost-tender, so you need to plant it out once the risk of any frost has passed.
Kniphofia
Also known as the red hot poker, kniphofia is a genus of about 80 species of bulbous perennials in the Asphodelaceae plant family.
They produce tubular flowers in shades of pink, purple, yellow, orange and red. They’re usually between 5 and 15 cm long, and bloom in spring and summer.
They’re often used in floral arrangements because they’re incredibly pretty. If you plant them in your garden, you might be surprised at how short-lived the flowers are.
This has nothing to do with the lifespan of the flower itself, but more to do with birds, who eat the flowers!
The best way to propagate them is by division, but they can also be grown from seed.
Well-draining soil and full sunlight is best for kniphofia plants, where they will provide a lot of color and interest into any garden.
Kolkwitzia
Another name for this plant is the beautybush, and it belongs to the Caprifoliaceae plant family.
These are very popular plants, related to the honeysuckle, and range from 6 to 10 feet tall, depending on how much space they have and the age of the plant.
A plethora of flowers appear during spring, in light pink with a splash of yellow.
The flowers are pollinated by insects, including bees, butterflies and wasps.
This plant is easy to grow, and requires only average care in full sunlight and plenty of water in well-draining soil.
Knautia Arvensis
Otherwise known as field scabious, this herbaceous perennial is another relative of the honeysuckle, and is the perfect addition to wildflower beds or borders.
It produces pincushion-shaped flowers in a very light purple, attracting many pollinators. It also helps that the field scabious is a perfect choice for cutting gardens.
To get the best out of field scabious, plant it in full sunlight, in a bed that gets constantly moist soil, but the water still drains away.
Kiwi Flowers
If you want to create some beautiful blooms which also produce fruit, the kiwi climber is a good choice.
It does require lots of space, somewhere sheltered, with as much sunlight as possible.
It’s worth knowing that some types of kiwi plants are self-fertile, and others need both a male and a female plant to produce fruit.
Kobus Magnolia
Otherwise labeled as the Northern Japanese magnolia, the kobus magnolia produces stunning white flowers on the bare branches, before the leaves form.
It is at its best during spring, where it produces seas of flowers, with a hint of pink. This evergreen magnolia is capable of growing up to 32 feet tall, spreading to about 25 feet wide.
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoes (see also Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana Care) are wonderful plants that form part of the Crassula plant family as flowering succulents.
While they are often bought for their flowers and discarded soon after, you can encourage them to rebloom in the right conditions.
Kalanchoes (see also Kalanchoe Grow Guide) are traditionally grown as houseplants, some with deep green leaves, and others with gray or light green leaves.
King’s Mantle
Also known as Thunbergia erecta, this plant produces bright purple flowers with yellow throats.
It’s a woody shrub which is hardy in zones 10b through to 11, where it can bloom all year round.
It grows quickly, so you will need to prune it regularly to make sure it doesn’t take over.
