Description

These plants are well noted for their dramatic, colourful and bright bird attracting tubular flowers.They produce a neat clump of and somewhat grass-like strappy foliage. Kangaroo Paw will grow best in a very well drained sandy or gravelly soil and out in a hot, sunny open position. They are frost tolerant and will grow quite well in coastal regions. Once established they will tolerate drought, although flowering will be prolonged with summer watering. The varieties vary in height from 50cm to 1.8 metres with a spread at maturity of up to 1 metre. Anigozanthos are best suited from sub-tropical to cool climatic zones.

Cultivation

Choose an open and sunny planting site which has very well draining sandy or gravelly soil. Prepare the growing site by digging over the soil and adding a good handful of blood and bone or rich compost prior to planting out. Water in well at planting time and then on an occasional basis to promote growth. Spray the plants with fungicide to protect them from ‘Ink Disease’ and guard them from snails and slugs which can chew up the leaves.