Kangaroo Paw Bush Inferno

Kangaroo Paw 'Bush Inferno' (Anigozanthos 'Bush Inferno') pushes red and orange paw flowers to about 1.5m above a strappy clump that sits at only 60cm and spreads to around 1m. The height is nearly all flower stem, which makes it easy to place. Honeyeaters work it through summer, and it thrives on the heat, salt and drought that flatten most flowering perennials.

Why you'll love it

• Colour held high. The red and orange paws stand well clear of the foliage, so they read from the other end of a garden rather than getting lost in a bed.
• Honeyeaters find it quickly. Nectar rich tubular flowers on strong stems are built for birds, and a suburban planting will pull them in within a season.
• Heat, drought and salt are normal. A Western Australian native, so hot dry summers and coastal exposure are its home conditions rather than a stress test.
• Low maintenance in the real sense. One hard cut back a year is the whole job. No staking, no spraying, no regular feeding.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 60cm apart. Paws look far better in blocks than as single plants, and a mass of flower stems is what brings the birds in.

Feature planting and borders. One clump anchors a native bed or a gravel garden. Along a border the foliage is low enough that it hides nothing behind it.

Pots and coastal gardens. A 400mm pot with gritty mix suits a single plant, and salt tolerance makes exposed courtyards and beachfront gardens straightforward.

Growing kangaroo paw in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open air movement around the clump. Subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens all suit it. It takes light frost only, so cold inland and southern gardeners should pot it and shift it under cover for winter.

Soil. Sandy, gravelly and sharply drained. Wet or heavy ground is the quickest way to lose one. On clay, mound the planting hole well above the bed and mulch with gravel rather than a thick organic layer.

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

Pruning. After flowering, cut the entire clump back to about 15cm, foliage and spent stems together. It looks severe, and it is exactly right. The plant reshoots clean and flowers harder the following summer.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tubestock or as 140mm plants in packs of ten. Tubes are small fans of a few leaves and are the practical buy for a mass planting, since paws establish fast in warm soil. The 140mm plants are established clumps and most will flower in their first summer.

Some outer leaves may yellow in transit, which is normal and trimmed off at planting. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete kangaroo paw care guide
• Browse the Australian native range
• Bird attracting plants for the garden
• Plants for hot dry climates

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Sixty centimetres apart for a mass planting. That gives each clump room to reach full width while keeping air moving between them, which matters more with paws than with most perennials.

Why are the older leaves turning black?

Leaf blackening is common in humid or wet spells and affects the oldest foliage first. Cutting the clump back hard after flowering removes it, and the fresh growth comes away clean.

Will it handle frost?

Light frost only. A single cold night in a warm temperate garden is survivable, but repeated hard frosts in the tablelands or cold inland districts will finish it.

How long will a clump last?

Four to six years is a realistic run before flowering thins out. Divide congested clumps in spring, or plan to replace a section of a mass planting every few years.