This species is endemic to heavy, black clay soil regions and is generally found in climax Themeda triandra grassland. The areas in which the plants grow are subject to grazing by cattle and sheep and habitat destruction and degradation. The populations found in Gauteng and the western part of Mpumalanga have been much reduced by urbanisation and the intensive agricultural development of the region.
Kniphofia typhoides is one of two species having scented dark brown or brownish maroon flowers.
It is closely related to K. umbrina, a rare species endemic to the Forbes Reef area of northeastern Swaziland. Kniphofia typhoides generally flowers in the first three weeks of February, often at the rainiest time of the year. The habitat, which is usually low lying marshy ground, may become inundated for several weeks while the plants are flowering. This species has declined markedly since the 1950s, but locating and counting populations is difficult as they only seem to flower during years of average or above average rainfall. The ideal conditions for a survey occurred during February 1996 when much of eastern South Africa had weeks of heavy rainfall.