Return to Library Home Page


Scientific: Anigozanthos pulcherrimus
Common: golden kangaroo paws
Family: Haemodoraceae
Origin: Endemic to sandy soils of extreme southwest Australia.

Pronounciation: An-i-go-ZAN-thos pul-cher-REE-mus

Hardiness zones
Sunset
13-24
USDA 9 (with some protection)-11

Landscape Use: Landscape perennial borders, subtropical and tropical landscape settings, floral and textural accent, oasis landscape design themes, cut flowers.

Form & Character: Basally clumping, dense, short and upright except in bloom when it becomes exquisitely festive in appearance.

Growth Habit: Evergreen, mostly herbaceaous perennial shrub to 3- to 5-feet tall with equal spread, acaulescent, clumping due to short rhizomes. Growth rate and eventual size varies greatly with water availability.

Foliage/Texture: Thick, medium to grey green, leathery, very narrow grass-like, linear leaves to 3-feet long, basal rosette branching, clumping; medium fine texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Long tubular golden flowers, densely haired that open to six small petals, cymose or racemose on branched elongated stalks to 5- to 6-feet long. Flowers are pollinated by birds. Fruits are a 3-celled capsule, persistent and inconspicuous. Seeds are angular to oblong, pitted or furrowed, reddish brown to grey or black.

Seasonal Color: Golden flowers during March and April in Phoenix and during May and June in southern California coastal areas.

Temperature: Hardy to 25oF. Tolerant of some desert summer heat. In the desert, needs some protection such as being located on an eastern building exposure. Otherwise, thrives along southern and central California coastal areas in full sun. Flower color is most intense when weather is cooler.

Light: In Phoenix, partial shade (from western sun) is best; no shade.

Soil: Tolerant of many soil types.

Watering: Infrequent deep irrigations especially suring summer. Limited supplemental during winter.

Pruning: Remove spent flower stalks in early summer. To prolong the flowering, cut off the top half of the flower stem as soon as the first flower opens and use it as a cut flower. This will stimulate growth and development of dormant flower buds that are still on the bottom half of the flower stalk.

Propagation: Tissue culture, seed, division of basal clumps.

Disease and Pests: Aphids on flowers

Additional comments: This is a carefree accent plant for oasis gardens when a tropical vibe is desired. Golden kangaroo paws are easy to care for and thrive with supplemental water during Phoenix summers and protection from western sun. Otherwise, this is simply a fabulous and tough accent perennial for all sunny exposures in coastal California cities.

Golden kangaroo paws has been crossed with Anigozanthos rufus to produce Anigozanthos x 'Tequila Sunrise'. Also, golden kangaroo paws has been crossed with Anigozanthos flavidus to produce three hybrid cultivar selections They are 'Bush Haze', 'Bush Revolution' and 'Yellow Gem'.

Taxonomic musings: There are currently 11 recognized species of Anigozanthos ranging in flower color from white, yellow, orange, salmon, pink, red to purple. There are several interspecific hybrid cultivars of various forms and flower colors (four listed above) including dwarf and giant selections.