Ruby Velvet™ Kangaroo Paw

Ruby Velvet Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos hybrid) is a compact kangaroo paw bred by Ozbreed for bold red flowers on a plant that stays small. The foliage sits at 300 to 400mm tall and about 300mm wide, and from spring the velvety red flower stems rise to 700 to 800mm, so the display is all colour and no bulk. It suits feature pots and low maintenance beds, easiest of all in bands between evergreen strappy leaf plants.

Why you'll love it

• Bold red flowers in abundance. Furry red stems and paws that read from the street, and each plant carries plenty of them.
• Clean, compact foliage. The leaves stay tidy at 300 to 400mm, without the floppy look older kangaroo paws develop.
• Frost and drought tolerant. Once established it takes dry spells and frost, from Tasmania to the inland.
• A true Australian. Kangaroo paws are among our most recognisable natives, and honeyeaters find the flowers within days.
• Low maintenance in the right company. Tucked between strappy leaf plants the foliage can be left alone while the red paws flower above the grasses.

Where it works best

Feature pots. One plant fills a 300mm pot and the flower stems give height without width. Use a free draining native mix and keep the crown at the surface.

Bands between strappy leaf plants. Plant 40cm apart in a row behind or between lomandras and dianellas, the planting Ozbreed recommends for the least work: the grasses hide the kangaroo paw foliage between seasons and the red flowers rise above them.

Low maintenance gardens and massed colour. At 40 to 50cm apart (four to six plants a square metre) a block of Ruby Velvet gives a sheet of red at hip height.

Growing Ruby Velvet Kangaroo Paw in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun in an open position; shade means fewer flowers. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens. In the humid north of Queensland treat it as a shorter lived plant of two to three years; south of the tropics it is a long term perennial.

Soil. Well drained soil is the one real requirement. On clay or in a wet spot plant into a raised bed or mound, because wet feet kills kangaroo paws. Keep the crown at or just above soil level under a chunky mulch that does not pack around the base.

Water and feed. Water as needed for the first 8 to 13 weeks, then only through long dry spells. A native slow release fertiliser in spring is enough; rich feeding gives leaf at the expense of flower.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems to the base as they finish. Every one or two years cut the foliage back hard in late winter to renew it, unless it is planted in bands between strappy leaf plants, where it can be left alone.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Ruby Velvet Kangaroo Paw in 140mm pots in packs of 10, enough for a band of ten along a border or two feature pots with the rest in a bed. Plants travel upright with the foliage intact and settle quickly in warm soil; expect new leaves within weeks and flower stems in the next spring flush.

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 the full kangaroo paw range
• See the full Ozbreed range
• More Australian native plants
• Drought tolerant plants for dry gardens

Common questions

Why do kangaroo paw leaves go black?

Ink spot, a fungal disease, blackens the leaves in humid weather on crowded, shaded plants. Full sun, air movement, well drained soil and a cut back every year or two keep Ruby Velvet clean.

How far apart should I plant it?

40cm apart in a band or row, or 40 to 50cm in blocks; between strappy leaf plants, one to each gap.

Does it grow in pots?

Yes, one of its best uses. Use a free draining native mix in a pot of at least 300mm and let the mix dry between waterings.