Kangaroo Paw

Kangaroo Paw 'Bush Zest' (Anigozanthos 'Bush Zest') is the warm yellow and orange paw from the Bush Gems series, bred to flower long and stay tidy. Flower stems reach about 80cm with the leaf fan nearer 40cm, and each clump spreads to roughly 50cm. Honeyeaters come to the flowers, and once established it asks for very little water.

Why you'll love it

• Warm gold and orange flowers. The colour reads from a distance and sits well against silver foliage or a rendered wall.
• Bred for garden performance. Bush Gems selections were developed for stronger flowering and better disease resistance than the wild species.
• A serious bird plant. Honeyeaters work the stems, and bees and butterflies use them too.
• Tough where it counts. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil, so hot coastal and inland gardens both suit it.
• Two useful heights in one plant. A low 40cm fan of foliage all year, with stems lifting to 80cm in bloom.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 50cm apart for a solid drift. The fans meet within a season or two and the flower stems read as one band of colour.

Pots and containers. One of the better natives for a pot, since sharp drainage is what it wants. Use a pot at least 300mm wide.

Borders and coastal gardens. The upright habit makes a clean front row along a path, and salt tolerance holds a position near the beach where softer perennials burn off.

Growing Kangaroo Paw Bush Zest in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. Shade gives you leaves and no flowers. It suits warm temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and arid to semi-arid gardens. Frost tolerance is light only, so in hard frosting districts grow it in a movable pot.

Soil. Free draining is the whole story. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal and poor fertility is fine. On clay, plant on a raised sandy mound, because kangaroo paws rot from the crown in wet ground.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. Feed once in early spring with a low phosphorus native fertiliser. Water at the base, since wet foliage encourages ink spot marking.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems back to the base as they finish, and remove blackened leaves. Every second or third year, cut the clump back hard after flowering, then lift and divide it. That job keeps it performing for a decade.

What to expect when it arrives

You can buy this one two ways. Tube stock is the value option for a mass planting and is currently on backorder, so check the dispatch estimate before you plan a planting day. The 140mm pack of ten suits a border, since each plant is further along and ten at 50cm spacing covers about five metres of run.

Kangaroo paws travel well, though leaves can crease in transit and some outer foliage may look tired on arrival. Trim the damage off and plant, and it recovers quickly. Expect a season of establishment before the first strong flush of stems. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider Australian native range
• Kangaroo Paw 'Aussie Spirit', taller in green and gold
• Plants suited to mass planting
• Our waterwise garden guide for dry districts

Common questions

How far apart should I plant them, and how tall do they get?

Fifty centimetres apart for a drift or border run. The leaf fan sits at about 40cm all year, flower stems lift to around 80cm in bloom, and clumps spread to roughly 50cm.

Why do the leaves go black at the tips?

That is ink spot, a fungal marking encouraged by overhead watering, crowding and humidity. Water at the base, allow airflow between plants, and cut affected leaves out at the base.

Do I need to cut it back?

Yes, and it makes a real difference. Remove spent flower stems through the season, then cut the clump back hard and divide it every second or third year.