Kangaroo Paw

Kangaroo Paw 'Frosty Red' (Anigozanthos 'Frosty Red') is the Western Australian native that puts deep red flowers on 80cm stems above a neat 50cm clump of strappy foliage. The velvety, claw shaped blooms sit well clear of the leaves, which is what makes them read from across a garden. It is built for hot, dry, open positions where softer perennials struggle.

Why you'll love it

• Red flowers on tall stems. Blooms held at about 80cm above a 50cm clump, so the colour sits at eye level in a low border.
• Honeyeaters come for it. The flowers are built for bird pollination, so wattlebirds and honeyeaters work them daily while it is in bloom.
• Heat and drought are its element. A Western Australian native that expects hot dry summers and poor soil rather than tolerating them.
• Coastal ready. Salt wind is no trouble, so it suits an exposed front garden or a beachside strip.
• Excellent in pots. The clumping habit and small root system make it one of the better natives for a sunny balcony container.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 50cm apart for a massed display. At that spacing the clumps merge into a continuous band of foliage while the flower stems stay distinct.

Pots and containers. A 300mm to 400mm pot with a gritty native mix suits a single clump for years, and a pot lets you control the drainage completely.

Coastal and dry gardens. Use it in the front row of a coastal bed, or through a gravel garden with other dry country natives.

Growing Kangaroo Paw in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day, with open air movement around the clump. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, which makes Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and inland districts natural homes. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting cool temperate and tableland gardens are a genuine limit: grow it in a pot there and shelter it over winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage is not optional. Sandy or gravelly ground is ideal, and on clay you must plant on a raised mound. Keep mulch coarse, thin and well clear of the crown, because a damp crown is what kills these plants.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to establish, then only occasionally. Feed once in early spring with a low phosphorus native fertiliser, and always water at ground level rather than over the foliage.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems right back to the base to bring on a second flush. Every year or two, cut the whole clump to about 10cm after flowering: it looks brutal, but the plant returns cleaner and denser.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in tubes. You are buying a young plant with a small fan of leaves, not a flowering clump, so expect foliage in the first season and the first real flowering in the second spring. Tubes suit kangaroo paws, which establish fast in warm soil and dislike later disturbance.

Strappy leaves may arrive creased from the box, which does not affect the plant. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete kangaroo paw care guide
• Browse the full Australian native range
• Native plants with red flowers
• Compare bird attracting plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Space plants 50cm apart for a massed display or a border run. That lets each clump reach full width while keeping enough air movement between them to reduce leaf problems.

Why are the leaves going black at the tips?

Black marking on kangaroo paw foliage is common in humid or crowded conditions. Cut affected leaves out at the base, water at ground level, and give the clump a hard cut back after flowering.

Will it handle frost?

Light frost only. It is not suited to hard frosting inland or tableland gardens in the ground. In those areas grow it in a pot that can be moved to a sheltered spot for winter.