Re: Kangaroo Paw

Do you also know which species of Anigozanthus you are
growing from seed?  I would suggest that maybe you
should try one of the easier species to grow, such as
A. flavidus. This species will certainly handle more
normal garden conditions, is not so intolerant of a
range of ph or balanced fertilizers containing
phosphorus, and will take both winter wet soils and
summer dry conditions and grow well.  Many of the
other Anigozanthus species are much more difficult to
keep happy in the garden, and prone to getting fungal
attacks at the roots and foliage.

You might also try starting this plant from nursery
grown containers, planted out this time of the year,
and see if you have better luck with getting it to
establish.  In my experience, your conditions sound
ideal fo A. flavidus, as long as it also gets full
sun.  I don't know if black ink spot disease is also
prevalent in Greece/Europe, but almost all
Anigozanthus get this eventually here in California. 
Treatment is to cut back diseased foliage and avoid
overhead spray irrigation as much as possible.  I hear
in habitat that burning the foliage to the ground
periodically is a very good control for the
disfiguring disease as well.

--- Karl Hoover <amateur_peasant@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I think it wants higher pH and 0 phosphorous.
>   
> 
> L Schmiege <schmiege32@yahoo.com> wrote:  Dear
> Helpful friends:
> 
> I  have tried to grow Kangaroo Paw for the second
> year running here in  Athens, Greece.  The seed
> comes up and grows slowly to about 4  inches and
> then slowly they die.  I have one plant left and it
> has  shrunk to 2 inches. I moved it and fertilized
> it in order to save it  but it does not look happy.
> My soil is probably PH 6-7 and fast  draining.  It
> is pale green and I have marked it with a stone in 
> order to find it as it looks like a piece of grass
> that should be  pulled out. The rest of my garden is
> mostly successful.  The  climate is hot and dry in
> the summer so I water with a hose.  We  have Winter
> rains which have really started hard this year.
> 
> Thanks,
> Lorraine Schmiege
>      
> 
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