Kangaroo Paw Big Red

Kangaroo Paw 'Big Red' (Anigozanthos 'Big Red') is the tall red paw, bred for flower stems that clear 2m above a strapping clump of about 1m. The velvety scarlet flowers open through spring and summer and hold for weeks, and honeyeaters find them within days. It is a Western Australian native built for heat, drought and salt air, so it earns its place in a low water garden.

Why you'll love it

• Flower stems over head height. Foliage stays around 1m, and the red stems push to 2m, so the colour sits above everything planted with it.
• Tough where it counts. Drought, heat and salt tolerant once established, which covers most hard positions in full sun.
• Birds arrive. The tubular flowers are built for honeyeaters, and a group of three or more holds them all season.
• Safe around cats and dogs. Not toxic, so it can go in a bed a pet uses.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 60cm apart for a full block of colour. At that spacing the clumps knit together while air still moves between them, which matters for leaf health.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerant and happy in poor sandy soil, so it holds a front garden within sight of the water where softer perennials burn.

Pots and feature planting. A 400mm pot of free draining mix suits a sunny courtyard, and a single clump against a rendered wall shows the stems best.

Growing Kangaroo Paw 'Big Red' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and it takes light frost only, so cold tableland and inland districts are a stretch. Humid summers bring on leaf spotting, so give it open air movement.

Soil. Sandy, gravelly, free draining. Wet feet in winter kills more kangaroo paws than anything else, so mound the bed on clay and use a coarse mulch rather than a fine one.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. Feed a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring, and skip general garden fertiliser, which the roots resent.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems to the base once the colour has gone. Every two or three years, cut the whole clump back hard in late autumn to force fresh leaves and clear any blackened foliage.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: tubes, 140mm in packs of ten and 200mm in packs of six. Tubes are the value choice for a mass planting and usually flower in their first or second season. The larger sizes give you a full clump sooner.

Strappy leaves can look creased after transit, which is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the kangaroo paw care guide for feeding, dividing and leaf problems.
• Browse more Australian native plants.
• See other bird attracting plants to extend the flowering season.
• Compare coastal and salt tolerant plants for exposed blocks.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

60cm apart gives a full mass planting without crowding. Closer planting traps humidity between the clumps, which is what starts the black leaf spotting.

Why do the leaves turn black?

That is ink spot, a fungal problem brought on by humidity and still air. Cut the affected leaves out at the base, thin the clump, and avoid overhead watering.

How long does it flower?

Mainly spring into summer, with individual stems holding colour for several weeks. Cutting spent stems to the base often brings a lighter second flush.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. It shrugs off the odd cold morning once established, but repeated heavy frost in tableland or cold inland gardens sets it back badly.