Growing kangaroo paws

Kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos spp.) are one of Australia’s iconic native flowers. With their unique furry, claw-like, bird-attracting blooms and diverse hues, they provide a spectacular array of colourful possibilities for the garden.

There are 11 Anigozanthos species and they all originate in the south-west corner of Western Australia, where winters are generally relatively cool and moist and summers are hot and dry. Close to 100 cultivars and hybrids have been bred from these original species, and the features that have been developed vary widely.

There are compact varieties such as ‘Bush Pearl’, which grows 50–60cm high and is perfect for container gardening or small spaces, and taller forms such as Anigozanthos flavidus and its even taller hybrids, including ‘Landscape Scarlet’, which have flower stems reaching 2–3m.

The most common colours include bright reds, oranges and yellows, with some species and cultivars displaying greens, pinks and even purples. They make outstanding cut flowers. The main flowering is from mid-spring to early summer, however some varieties will flower all year round.

Kangaroo paws are either short- or long-lived perennials. A basic rule is that compact varieties are usually short-lived (they’ll survive for one to three years), while the taller varieties can last indefinitely, if their clumps are divided every five years. Kangaroo paws thrive in full sun and well-drained soils. This is especially true of the compact, shorter-lived varieties, while the tall types can cope with semi-shade and soil that is less well-drained.

Top tips for growing kangaroo paws

When putting kangaroo paws in the garden, remember that nursery plants are regularly watered and fertilised to present the most attractive plant possible. It is vital to wean nursery-bought plants off this abundance once they go into your garden.

• Water plants in well at first, then water them every few days for the first couple of months while their roots are getting established in the soil.
• Kangaroo paws are resilient and can handle dry periods when they are not in bloom but it is vital that they do not dry out when the flower buds are forming.
• Keep them well watered during the warmer months, especially when they are coming into their main flowering period in the springtime.
• Apply a 5cm-deep layer of a mulch such as fine white gravel to maintain even soil temperature while retaining moisture.
• If your soil is poorly drained, choose one of the tall-growing varieties or grow them in raised beds.

Can I grow them in pots?

Yes! Smaller, shorter-lived kangaroo paws are ideal for growing in pots, where a combination of perfect drainage and good nutrition will allow them to reach their full flowering potential. Use a container with a diameter of 20cm or more and a potting mix that meets the Australian Standard for a premium potting mix (kangaroo paws do not require a low-phosphorus potting mix and respond well to a general-purpose mix). A few months after planting, feed your paws with a general-purpose garden fertiliser at the recommended rate.

Ongoing care

Removal of the spent flower stems is vital once they start to lose colour. When each flower stem is cut off at the base, it’s important to also remove the few leaves that were associated with it, as they will also die. This is because each vegetative shoot produces a group of leaves with a single flower stem. Removal of those old leaves creates room for new shoots to grow and flower. I strongly recommend wearing protective gear when cutting back kangaroo paws as the hairs that clothe the flower stems can flake off and cause itching or skin and eye irritation.

In autumn, long lived varieties can be cut back to ground level all in one go (even using a mower or whipper-snipper), while the compact, short-lived varieties are best pruned carefully by hand using the method above. This is also a good time to feed using a general purpose garden fertiliser as kangaroo paws are not phosphorus sensitive. Kangaroo paws can be divided during this post flowering ‘clean up’ by splitting the original clump into pieces with several shoots (this ensures better survival rates compared to smaller pieces) that are then put into pots in a sheltered spot in the garden.

For solutions to some kangaroo paw problems, read here.

Header image by Alamy