Anigozanthos Common name: Kangaroo Paw	Indicates sun requirement      Full sun      Half sun      Semi-shade      Shade   Indicates Water requirement         High water requirement.     Water every 1-2 days.          Medium water requirement.     Water every 3-7 days.          Low water requirement.     Water every 7-14 days.
Description There are twelve species of Anigozanthos, one being the floral emblem of Western Australia. There are some 50 named cultivars and in general hybrids perform better in the garden than species. It is a bulbous, herbaceous evergreen. Velvety flowers appear from October to December. The shape of these reminds of the paws of kangaroos at the end of a tall branching stem. Bloom colours range from green to deep red and black. Anigozanthos are generally disease resistant, long lived, stay green throughout the year, have a long flouring season (two to seven months of the year, depending on the hybrid), are tolerant of garden conditions and bear the most unusual of flowers! Grows in clumps from dwarf to 1.8m high and has long and narrow leaves. The flowers are green to deep red. Native to the south-west of WA.
Growing Like many Australian natives, Anigozanthos prefer full sun and light sandy or porous soils that provide good drainage. Grow them from seed or propagate through root division. Sow seed in spring or summer in boxes, punnets or pots using an open rather sandy soil mixture. Seed germinates readily but erratic so keep the containers moist, but not wet, until seedlings emerge. Transplant when 10cm tall and space them 30-40 apart. Root division is another method of propagation. Put a sharp spade through the clump and detach a portion. The new piece must have a portion of the rhizome and some leaves. Cut the leaves back by half and plant out the separated piece. Potting up the divisions until established before planting them out is a good idea. Clumped plants should be divided once every two to three years, preferably during autumn or in early spring in cool climates. Although climatically adaptable, kangaroo paws do not fare well in cold or very humid areas. Avoid too much water and fertiliser during the summer months, as it will encourage overly lush growth. This would break their natural summer dormancy cycle and the plant may die. Don’t forget, this plant is native to the driest and most arid state of Australia! Established plants can produce more than 10 flower stems each, which can be cut and used for indoor decoration. They will last for several weeks in water and can also be used for dried arrangements. Potential Pests Snails are a serious pest for kangaroo paws as they may eat the foliage to the ground. Make sure to lay bait around the clump at planting time and keep a close watch thereafter. Another potential problem is ink spot disease, a fungal disease that causes progressive blackening of the leaves. There is no real cure for this, and if unattended the fungus will spread and cause the rhizome to rot. Copper-based fungicides help to control this, but if you avoid over-watering in warm and humid weather you reduce the likelihood of contraction in the first place. Also, many of the new cultivars that are available from nurseries are resistant to ink spot disease. Overall kangaroo paws are ornamental, hardy, grow well in almost any position and respond well to fertiliser.