Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Other Names:  Cat's Paw

Group/Class:  Bush Series

Description:

Bright velvety red flowers, covered in fine colored hair, rise above bright green, clusters of sword-like foliage; a compact upright habit, perfect for small beds or containers; beautiful, long lasting cut flower; drought tolerant once established

Ornamental Features

Bush Ballad Kangaroo Paw features unusual racemes of tomato-orange flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its sword-like leaves remain green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Bush Ballad Kangaroo Paw is an open herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and may require the occasional pruning to look its best. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Bush Ballad Kangaroo Paw is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Bush Ballad Kangaroo Paw will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Bush Ballad Kangaroo Paw is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.