Bush Merlot Kangaroo Paw

Bush Merlot Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos hybrid 'Bush Merlot') is a bushy, abundantly flowering kangaroo paw that stands about 1m tall in flower and 50cm wide. Its velvety flowers are a vibrant warm purple, glowing pink red in full sun and shifting to blue purple in shade. It is a good size for pots and a natural for native and wildlife gardens.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that moves with the light. In sunshine the purple flowers glow pink red, and in shade they take on blue purple tones.
• Bushy and generous. Long stems carry abundant flowers up to a metre tall, over a compact clump of foliage.
• Pot sized. At 50cm wide it is a good size for pots and containers, so a doorway or courtyard can hold one.
• Good for wildlife and the vase. It suits wildlife and native gardens, and the stems make long-lasting cut flowers for the house.
• Handles a light frost. It can withstand a light overnight frost once it has settled in.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. Use a pot at least 30cm wide, filled with native potting mix, in the sunniest spot you have. Pots guarantee the drainage that kangaroo paws need.

Native and mixed garden beds. Plant 50cm apart in drifts of three or five, which reads better than single plants scattered about. The warm purple flowers sit well against grey-green native foliage.

Wildlife gardens and cutting beds. Honeyeaters visit the nectar-rich flowers, and cutting stems for indoors encourages more.

Growing Bush Merlot Kangaroo Paw in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun with plenty of air movement. Kangaroo paws do not like too much humidity and do better in drier climates, so they are happiest in Mediterranean, warm temperate and dry inland gardens. In humid coastal gardens, choose the sunniest, airiest spot and watch for black ink spot on the leaves. It handles a light overnight frost, but in colder districts grow it in a pot you can shelter.

Soil. Light, free draining soil. On clay, plant on a raised mound about 20cm high or use a pot.

Water and feed. Water well in hot or dry weather, and keep it moist through the first summer. Feed through spring and summer with a low phosphorus native fertiliser for a good flower display.

Pruning. Remove the first flower spike to stimulate new flower buds. After that, cut spent flowers and dead foliage regularly, and give the whole clump a hard cut to about 10cm once a year after the main flush.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Bush Merlot Kangaroo Paw as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Expect a young leafy clump that bulks up in full sun. Plants travel upright. Unpack them promptly, plant at the same depth as the tube or pot, and water in well.

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

• Browse all kangaroo paws
• Kangaroo paw care guide for Australian gardens
• More Australian native plants
• Plants that attract birds

Common questions

Why remove the first flower spike?

It sounds odd, but taking off the first spike helps stimulate new flower buds. The plant then builds a fuller, longer display.

Will it grow in a humid climate?

It can, but it prefers drier air. Give it full sun, airflow and sharp drainage, and keep an eye out for ink spot, which shows as black blotches on the leaves in humid, still weather.

Is it safe around dogs and cats?

Kangaroo paws are not known to be toxic to dogs or cats, which makes them a sensible choice for pots and beds where pets roam.