Kangaroo paw

Sun

Full sun; flowering is reduced in shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells. Established plants tolerate drought, but flower better with occasional deep watering during active growth; keep much drier in winter.

Soil

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Avoid cold, waterlogged ground; use a freely draining potting mix in containers.

Height

4-8 ft (1.2-2.4 m) in flower; foliage usually 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Late spring through summer, sometimes into autumn; fuzzy tubular flowers are usually yellow-green, sometimes flushed or coloured red, orange or pink.

Foliage

Evergreen. Upright to arching, flat, green, strap-shaped leaves growing in fans from short rhizomes.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm growing conditions.

Care needed

Medium

• Water at soil level, letting the surface dry between waterings; avoid keeping the crown wet.
• Apply a light dressing of low-phosphorus fertiliser in spring; avoid heavy feeding.
• Keep mulch clear of the leaf bases and rhizomes.
• Divide crowded clumps in spring when growth resumes.
• In colder parts of the UK, Canada and the United States, grow in a container and overwinter somewhere bright and frost-free.

Pruning. After flowering, cut spent flower stems down to their base rather than shortening them halfway. Remove dead or badly spotted leaves at the base with clean tools, keeping healthy green fans intact.

Spring

Plant or divide as growth resumes, once the risk of damaging frost has passed.

Spring

Feed lightly with a low-phosphorus fertiliser and remove winter-damaged leaves.

Late spring

Check new shoots and flower stems for aphids; wash off small colonies.

Summer

Water deeply during extended dry weather and cut flower stems for indoor use as the first flowers open.

Late summer

Remove finished flower stems at the base to keep the clump open and tidy.

Autumn

Move containers under bright, frost-free cover before cold weather arrives.

Winter

Water sheltered pots sparingly and check that outdoor plants are not sitting in saturated soil.

• Plant in groups among low grasses and lomandras so the flower stems rise above a contrasting mound of foliage.
• Use in sunny Australian-native borders with grevilleas and coastal rosemary for contrasting flower and leaf shapes.
• Place beside paving or pale walls, where the branching stems and fuzzy flowers show clearly.
• Grow in a large, stable container on a sunny terrace, with room to move it under winter cover in cold climates.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Architectural minimal, Modern Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Coastal and Wildlife garden.

Plant it with: Lomandra, Coastal rosemary, Grevillea, Blue fescue, Lavender and Yarrow.

Wildlife: The nectar-rich flowers attract honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds in Australia. Hummingbirds may visit in suitable parts of North America, and insects also use the flowers.

• Ink disease causes blackened patches and declining leaves. Remove affected foliage, disinfect tools, improve airflow and avoid overhead watering; discard badly affected plants.
• Root and crown rot develops in poorly drained soil, especially in cold weather. Improve drainage or grow in a raised bed or container, and reduce winter watering.
• Snails and slugs chew young leaves and shoots. Check plants after dark, remove pests and use barriers or labelled controls where needed.
• Frost can blacken leaves and kill crowns during prolonged cold. Choose a sheltered site in mild climates and overwinter containers frost-free elsewhere.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people, and no particular part is recognised as poisonous. Species-specific toxicity information is limited, so do not treat it as edible; the fuzzy flower hairs may irritate sensitive skin or eyes.

• Red-and-green kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos manglesii)

  Usually has unbranched flower stems with conspicuously red, hairy lower portions and green flowers; A. flavidus typically has taller, branching stems.

• Black kangaroo paw (Macropidia fuliginosa)

  Has distinctive black hairs covering parts of its stems and green flowers, rather than the yellowish or reddish hairs typical of A. flavidus.

Kangaroo paw describes the furry, curved flowers, while Anigozanthos refers to the unequal flower lobes and flavidus means yellowish.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring, keeping roots and several healthy leaf fans on each division. Seed can be sown in warm conditions, but seedlings vary and will not reliably reproduce a named selection.

Accepted botanical name

Anigozanthos flavidus

Native range

Western Australia.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.