Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paw)

Kangaroo paw is one of those plants that stops people mid-walk through the garden. Native to Australia, it produces long, arching flower stalks covered in tubular, velvety blooms with curved, claw-like tips that genuinely do resemble the paw they are named for. Flower colors span yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple depending on the variety, and the blooms hold for weeks on the plant and cut beautifully for vases. The strap-like, grass-textured foliage stays tidy at the base throughout the season.

Kangaroo paw thrives in full sun with excellent drainage. It is quite drought tolerant once established and performs well in the mild, dry summers of the southern Oregon coast when sited away from wet winter soil. Cut spent flowering stalks to the ground after bloom to encourage rebloom and keep the clump looking fresh. In zones where hard freezes occur, a dry mulch over the crown through winter provides useful insurance.

This is a plant for gardeners who want something genuinely different. It pairs well with ornamental grasses and other texture-forward plants and makes a striking container specimen. Hummingbirds are drawn to the nectar-rich flowers.