Anigozanthos hybrid ‘Harmony’ a.k.a. Kangaroo Paws
Anigozanthos hybrid ‘Harmony’, also known as ‘Kangaroo Paws’, displays a stunning combination of yellow flowers on red stems. Nicknamed for its distinct tubular flowers that are curved at the tips resembling a kangaroo’s paws, this hybrid has yellow flowers with wooly, one-sided red hairs. The evergreen perennial is native to open eucalyptus forests in southwestern Australia. As we share the same latitude with our friends down under, it’s no surprise that many Australian plants grow just as comfortably in Southern California gardens.
Kangaroo paws are easy to grow so long as they don’t get an abundance of water and plant food. The plant will store moisture in a rootlike underground stem, allowing it to go dry for several weeks at a time. But this does not mean the plant should go entirely dry between waterings. It will fit into a drought tolerant garden with low water requirements. If it does dry out while flowering from early spring through summer, you will loose the flowers. Cutting back spent stems to the ground prolongs the flowering seasons to late spring and fall. As a review, Kangaroo Paws:
- require full sun and regular water.
- grow in light sandy soil or heavier soil with good drainage.
- are great for controlling snails and slugs.
- have flowers that will attract hummingbirds.
- are easy and rewarding plants to have in your garden.
