Kangaroo paw

Kangaroo Paw 'Bush Elegance' (Anigozanthos 'Bush Elegance') is a Western Australian native bred for gardens rather than collectors. Flower stems reach about 1.2m above a strappy clump roughly 60cm across, carrying the soft pink and red paws that honeyeaters cannot leave alone. It is a Bush Gems hybrid, so it holds better disease resistance and a longer flowering run than the older species forms.

Why you'll love it

• Honeyeaters arrive within days. The paws are built for birds, and a clump in flower turns a suburban garden into a feeding stop.
• Colour on a long stem. The foliage clump stays low at about 60cm while the flower stems lift to 1.2m, above the planting around it.
• Built for hard sites. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and happy in poor soil, which covers most difficult coastal and inland gardens.
• Low maintenance in the real sense. One cut back a year and a light feed is the whole job.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 50cm apart. At that spacing the foliage clumps just touch, which keeps air moving between them and reduces leaf marking, while the flower stems read as one band of colour.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance and a taste for sandy, free draining soil suit exposed coastal blocks where richer garden plants burn.

Pots and feature planting. A single clump in a 400mm or larger pot works on a balcony or beside a path, in a free draining native mix.

Growing kangaroo paw in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and plenty of it. Suited to subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold tableland and inland districts should grow it in a pot that can be moved under eaves for winter.

Soil. Sandy and sharply drained is the target. Poor soil is fine and rich soil is a liability. On clay, plant on a raised mound with coarse sand worked through, and keep mulch thin and away from the crown.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring, since standard garden fertilisers can damage the roots.

Cutting back. Once flowering finishes, cut spent stems and tired outer leaves back to ground level. That keeps the clump fresh and drives the next flush, and it also removes the black leaf marking that is normal in this genus.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes. Tube stock is a young plant with a small fan of leaves and no flower stems yet, and it is the value option for a mass planting because kangaroo paws establish fast from small. The 140mm pack of ten gives stronger plants with a developed clump, enough to plant a five metre border in one go.

Strappy foliage travels well, and a few creased leaves on arrival will grow out. Expect flower stems in the first full spring and summer, and a filled clump by the second season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Native plants that bring birds into the garden
• Browse the full Australian natives range
• Compare other strappy leaf plants
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal blocks

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Fifty centimetres apart for a massed display. Tighter planting looks fuller in the first year but traps humidity around the leaves, which is the main cause of black marking on kangaroo paws.

Why are the leaves going black at the tips?

Older leaves marking and dying back is normal in this genus, and worse in humid, still or crowded positions. Cut affected leaves out at ground level rather than trimming the tips, and improve airflow around the clump.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes, and in a cold or wet garden a pot is the better option. Use a 400mm or wider container with a free draining native mix, keep it in full sun, and do not stand it in a saucer of water.