Product Overview
Anigozanthus – Kangaroo Paws.
An interesting flowering plant, which is no surprise native to Australia, and gets its common name from its uniquely shaped flowers.
Ideally kept outdoors, in a slightly shaded position during the hottest times of the year, then placed somewhere in full Winter light at cool room temperatures, to encourage next years blooms.
Can also be kept indoors, but again they do require a cool Winter rest in a bright position.
The secret to keeping the Kangaroo Paw is to mimic it`s natural environment. This generally involves temperature and light.
During the Summer they prefer warmth, and bright light, not necessarily scorching Sun, but a good few hours of bright light and temperatures between 25 to 28c.
A lack of light will lead to poor growth, and problems with adequate moisture.
Watering isn`t difficult but different to the usual over the top method. They much prefer tepid water that has stood for 24 hours plus to remove excess chemicals, and watered from below to keep the base of the leaves from becoming too soggy. If kept in their preferred bright and warm position then they will require a thorough watering, as they should dry out again fairly quickly without prolonged periods of wetness, which can lead to root rot.
Feed with a half strength diluted flowering plant feed every 2 -3 weeks during growth.
Remove spent flowers to promote more.
Aftercare:
If kept outdoors, once night time temperatures are expected to get down to around 10c, then it is time to bring the plant indoors, or if kept as a houseplant then it will need to be placed somewhere cooler.
Ideally daytime temperatures around 15c, and night time temperatures of 10c will allow the plant to rest and conserve it`s energy required for the next seasons flowers.
Reduce the amount and frequency of water during this period, but remember not to dry out.
Do not feed during the dormant Winter period.
Repot approx. every 2 years in Spring when pot bound, using a good quality free draining Cactus and Succulent compost, using only a slightly larger pot.
Warnings:
Not known to be toxic to pets or humans.
Best practice is to avoid digestion.
