Re: Dull or Delightful?

--- Tim Longville <tim.longville@BTinternet.com>
wrote:
> Interesting range of opinions re Kangaroo Paw
> flowers - from the 'dull'/'hardly worth growing'
> from Glenn and myself to David's 'delightful' 8ft
> ever-lastings! 
> 
> I'd have marked this difference down to dreaded
> 'climate' once again, if it weren't for where Glenn
> is. So is it, rather, that there are certain KPs
> which are 'dull' (some of the small-flowered spp?)
> but others which are 'delightful' (some
> larger-flowered - and more tender? - spp? some
> cultivars??)? 

Tim, I suspect that it is a little of both.  There are
some spectacular hybrids and cultivars here in
California and Australia.  Our mild to hotter inland
climate and moderate rainy winters seem to favor the
flavidus/rufus/pulcherrima crosses, which are the most
vigorous for us.  Species such A maglesii, A. viridis
are more demanding, and the dwarfer flavidus x humilis
hybrids seem less vigorous for me, or perhaps
requiring  warmer and dryer winter conditions.

Most all Kangaroo Paws eventually get some inkspot
here, but it is not so debilitating to some, if it is 
occasionally cut out/removed, and plants are given
good drainage and a sunny spot.  I seem to recall
reading that burning off the foliage is the
recommended remedy for inkspot disease in Australia. 
A good quick burn of foliage would no doubt help, but
is not so easy to do in an urban garden.  Definitely
check out the Monterey Bay Nursery web
site(www.montereybaynsy.com) or San Marcos
Growers(www.smgrowers.com), for some great pictures. 
I would imagine that Jan's new book would also have
some great photos, they are such a distinctive accent
plant,(along with the Aloes and Agaves, Dasylirions,
Euphorbias and grasses),  that are so characteristic
of southern California designers  Nancy Power and
Isabelle Greene.   

Many, if not most Kangaroo Paws receive some summer
water in bay area gardens, which probably contributes
to ink spot, but also lengthens the blooming season. 
Some of them can be very temperamental, there is much
variation in vigor.  I had failed miserably with most
as container plants, and only did well when they got
put into  the ground. Summer overhead spray irrigation
  contributes to the inkspot, but they also get it
when not sprayed. They can quickly decline here with
too much shade and wet conditions.  Most may handle a
few degrees of frost, but foliage does burn.

In my own garden, they've been given the only full sun
spot in the rear garden.  I have them situated where
they get no regular irrigation, but do receive some
runoff from adjacent potted plants.  To give some idea
of the conditions they receive, I'll list some of the
adjacent plantings with which they are planted.  They
fit right in with the  small tree Acacia cultriformis
above, and Aloe reynoldsii, Sedum palmeri, S. confusum
below.  A red Epidendron/Reed Stem Orchid hybrid and
Salvia splendens 'Van Houtii' can be seen backing the
Kangaroo Paws.  A few Aeonium decorum 'Tricolor' and
various Echeverias are also clusterd around.  

In close proximity, similar soils, but much less
winter sun, the plantings must be more shade tolerant
to do well.  Just across a flagstone path with full
winter shade, a large planting of Nerine bowdenii has
40 or more stalks of a pink that just glow in the
shade, backed by  Aeonium 'Mint Saucer', Cyperus
textilis,  Parahebe perfoliata, and Iris confusa
'Chengdu'. A  6 foot tall arching  Gordonia axillaris 
is just starting to bloom, with flowers so similar to
summer blooming Matijila Poppy.  Hopefully this gives
some additional idea of growing conditions.  I must
admit that Anigozanthus seems to do even better in
warmer locations than my own, and blooms nearly year
round when located against a south facing building
will full day sun, and less frequent yet still
intermittent summer irrigation.  I have not seen any
locally which are grown so hard that they receive no
summer irrigation, so can't say whether they bloom as
long or abundantly with no supplemental water.

Some personal favorites include; 'Harmony'- a vigorous
flavidus hybrid by Bill Teague of So. Calif.  with
yellow flowers on red stems 3 to 5 feet tall;
'green'- with a pale chartreuse green flower on 4 to 6
foot tall stems, the red 'Regal Claw' and 'Red
Cross'-Randy Baldwin hybrid, and the various selected
other colors such as burnt orange, dark red, pink,
red, and flavidus dwarfs.  They all seem to thrive
along the cool mild coast in bright light if not hot
sun, and also do well inland, where hardy.  I don't
think they are grown much where they could freeze
every winter, most seem slow to recover in cool spring
areas after a hard freeze, and are prone to dying out
under such stress.  I suspect they are also more
difficult to grow in climates with summer rains and
warm humid areas, and probably not much seen in Sydney
or Melbourne, or Queensland, Australia.

I've had only intermittent success with dividing them,
and wonder if anyone has surefire methods,(best
season, size of divisions, fertilizing), to suggest.

Regards,
David Feix
Berkeley, California 


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