Making the most of Australian Natives: Garden Design with Kangaroo Paws
Kangaroo Paws are a fantastic addition to any garden and landscape design. Not only do they add vibrant splashes of colour, but they also provide long-lasting cut flowers with a completely unique shape and texture that makes them stand out in any arrangement. Gardening with kangaroo paws can be incredibly rewarding as there are many varieties to choose from and their nectar-rich flowers attract beautiful native birds like spinebills and honeyeaters. With proper care, you can enjoy the beauty of these Australian natives for years, making them an ideal choice for both novice and experienced gardeners alike.
There is a wide variety of stunning colours available in Kangaroo Paws.
5 Tips for Growing Kangaroo Paws
Successfully growing Kangaroo Paws involves a combination of providing the right amount of sunlight, drainage and nutrients so that they remain healthy and productive throughout the year.
1. Provide kangaroo paws with an abundance of sunlight and water to ensure optimal growth. Choose a sunny spot in the garden, as these flowering plants thrive in direct sunlight and require at least 6 hours of light each day to flower. Be sure to water regularly and deeply during dry spells with lukewarm water, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. While Kangaroo paws can be planted in areas that are part shade, it’s important that they do get some hours of full sun during the day to ensure a better chance of flowering. Planting Kangaroo Paws in part shade beds with deciduous trees means that in temperate areas they’ll get much needed sun during the winter months to minimise the risk of frost damage.
2. To ensure healthy growth and produce abundant blooms, fertilise kangaroo paws twice per year with a balanced fertiliser. This can help encourage new bud formation and promote strong root development. You can use a fertiliser made for Australian natives that is low in phosphorus.
3. Protect kangaroo paws from frost during winter months by adding a layer of mulch or compost around their bases for insulation against the cold weather. When temperatures drop below freezing, bring indoor potted plants indoors or wrap them with burlap for extra warmth and protection from wind chill. Planting Kangaroo Paws in an area protecting them from winds will ensure that their long flowering stems won’t get damaged when being hammered by wind gusts.
4. Cut back any dead foliage during autumn to encourage fresh new growth in springtime, while trimming off any old stems or branches after flowering has finished can also help keep the plant neat and tidy while encouraging new buds to form faster. Encourage new flowers by deadheading/cutting back any old flowers as they are spent and get past their prime.
5. To reduce the risk of disease and pests, avoid overcrowding kangaroo paw plants in garden beds or containers as this will limit air circulation which can lead to fungal diseases such as mildew or rust spots developing on leaves and stems - instead provide plenty of space between plants for good ventilation. Also take care when handling the flowers not to damage their delicate hairs which could leave them prone to attack by tiny insects or other pests such as aphids, mites or mealybugs.
Kangaroo Paws can be grown in a wide variety of climates and garden settings in the Australian garden
Diseases and Disease Prevention in Kangaroo Paws
Kangaroo paws are relatively hardy plants and their main pests are caterpillars, aphids and snails. However, they can be prone to a number of diseases including fungal diseases such as Powdery Mildew, Botrytis and Rust. Powdery Mildew is caused by the fungus Microsphaera alphitoides and is characterized by a white powdery coating on the leaves and stems. Botrytis also known as ‘Grey Mould’ is caused by the fungi Botrytis cinerea and usually affects older or dying flowers. The flowers become covered in a grey dust-like mould which can then spread to other parts of the plant. Rust is caused by various species of the fungus Puccinia which forms small pustules on the leaves that look like rusty spots or lines. All these diseases can be prevented by proper care and pruning to keep kangaroo paws healthy and well-ventilated. To treat existing infections, fungicides containing Mancozeb or Chlorothalonil can be applied according to label instructions. It does seem that the very tall/large varieties of Kangaroo Paw are more resistant to disease and frost damage than the smaller cultivars, but new disease-resistant varieties are being released by breeders every year.
Growing Kangaroo Paws in cooler/cold climates can make them susceptible to Ink Spot disease, which appears as large black blotches on the leaves. While fungicidal treatments like copper oxichloride-based remedies like Mancozeb can have some effect on prevention, ink disease is difficult to treat. The best treatment in this case is a bit of prevention and good garden hygiene.
Ink spot on a damp Kangaroo Paw leaf
Tips for Disease Prevention in Kangaroo Paws
-Placing your Kangaroo Paws in warm, sunny locations can ensure that moisture-fed fungi have limited chance to hang around and infect leaves.
-While they look their best in mass-planted situations, it’s always important to give each plant enough space that they won’t crowd one another and air flow can be maintained.
-Keeping airflow further reduces the chances of moisture sitting on leaves, encouraging fungal growth.
-When it comes to hygiene, prune off any leaves that are infected with ink spot with clean secateurs and put the leaves directly in your green bin or burn them. Adding these leaves to your compost pile or letting them remain on the ground near your plants may encourage fungal growth and infection in your garden. After pruning, clean your secateurs with methylated spirits or alcohol before moving on to your next plant to avoid further contamination.
Spent flowers and stems from a Kangaroo Paw, ready to be pruned to promote new growth.
Use of Kangaroo Paws in Garden Design
Kangaroo Paws are a stunning flower whose use doesn’t have to be limited to Australian native garden design. While they’re perfectly suited to be a stunning feature flower in an Australian garden, I’ve found that they can be just as useful and stunning in perennial flower gardens set amongst salvias, roses, agastaches and other tall flowering garden favourites like Russian Sage and Purple Top Vervain (Verbena bonariensis).
Kangaroo Paws versatility means that they can be used in a native garden or just as effectively in a cottage garden as seen here with a backdrop of tea roses.