Kangaroo Paw Celebrations Masquerade

Kangaroo Paw 'Celebrations Masquerade' (Anigozanthos 'Celebrations Masquerade') is a compact Western Australian native bred for pots and small gardens. Flower stems reach about 60cm on a clump around 50cm wide, and the blooms are bicoloured, pink shading into orange, carried above strappy green foliage for months at a time. It is one of the few natives that suits a designed courtyard and still forgives neglect.

Why you'll love it

• Small enough for a balcony. At 60cm tall and 50cm wide it fits a pot on a courtyard or a narrow border where full sized kangaroo paws would swamp the space.
• Bicoloured flowers that last. Pink and orange on the same stem, holding for weeks, with a main flush in spring and a repeat after a trim.
• Honeyeaters find it fast. The nectar filled tubes are built for birds, and they will work a single clump on a third storey balcony.
• Heat, drought and salt in one plant. It handles hot exposed positions and coastal wind, which rules out very few Australian gardens.

Where it works best

Pots and balconies. A pot 300mm or wider with free draining mix suits one clump. Terracotta and unglazed pots beat plastic here, because they let the root zone dry between waterings.

Borders and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart for a continuous massed display. At that spacing the clumps touch without crowding, which matters because crowded paws hold humidity and mark with ink spot.

Growing kangaroo paw in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with good air movement around the plant. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens. Light frost only, so in cold inland or tableland districts grow it in a pot you can move under cover for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage above all else. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal, and on clay it is safer in a raised bed or a pot. Wet feet through a humid summer is the main way these plants are lost.

Water and feed. Water at the base, not over the leaves, roughly weekly through the first summer and only in dry spells after that. A low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring is enough, since standard fertilisers can damage the roots.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems right down at the base once they brown, and every second or third year cut the whole clump back hard to about 15cm in late winter. It looks brutal and it is what keeps the clump young and flowering.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are available: tube stock, and 140mm plants in packs of ten for mass planting. Tubes are young divisions with a small fan of leaves and usually flower in their first full season. The tube size is listed on backorder, so check availability before planning a large planting.

Strappy foliage travels well and any bent leaves straighten within a week. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the kangaroo paw care guide for pruning and ink spot detail.
• Browse the wider Australian native range.
• Find a container in plants for pots and matching companions.
• Add more colour for wildlife with bird attracting plants.

Common questions

How far apart do I plant them?

Forty centimetres apart for a massed display. Any tighter and airflow drops, which encourages the black marking known as ink spot on the leaves.

What are the black marks on the leaves?

Ink spot, a fungal problem brought on by humidity and crowding. Cut affected leaves out at the base, improve airflow, and water the soil rather than the foliage.

How long will one clump last?

Several years if you cut it back hard every second or third winter. Left untrimmed the centre of the clump ages and flowering drops away.

Will it flower in part shade?

Poorly. It needs full sun for strong stems and a proper flush. In shade you get soft foliage, few flowers and more leaf marking.