| Life form | Herbaceous |
| Family | Haemodoraceae |
| Origin and distribution | The genus includes 11 species that grow wild in the southwestern part of Australia. Due to its special flower shape, the anigozanthos called “kangaroo paw”. For decorative purposes, approximately 30 hybrids on the basis of three types: a.zheltovatogo (Anigozanthosflavidus), a.Menglza (A.manglesii), and a.horoshenkogo (A.rufus). |
| Ease of cultivation | Difficult, for experienced florists. |
| The size | Up to 0.5 m at home, in nature – up to 2 m. |
| Growth rate | Average |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Temperature | Anigozanthos makes a rather high temperature in summer best grown at + 77-82,4 ° F, cool winter maintenance is required at a temperature of + 50-59 ° F, but it should not fall below + 50 ° F. In general, the plant can withstand even short-term frosts and a temperature of 23 ° F. |
| Humidity | Plant tolerates dry air, but it useful melodispersnogo spraying using an atomizer. In this case, moisture should not fall on the flowers and stagnate in the axils of the leaves. In winter it is advisable not to place the pot near the radiators. In very dry air, leaves can dry at the top. |
| Lighting | Requires bright light, it is one of the key factors in the successful growth of the anigozanthos. If there is a lack of light, the plant may die. Shading is only necessary on the south window in a particularly hot days. It is especially important to provide a large amount of light in winter, even in conditions of cool maintenance. In this case, you can use artificialsupplementary lighting. |
| The soil | The substrate must be very loose and consist, for example, of equal parts of leaf land, peat, humus, with the addition of sand. You can also add bark pieces. |
| Watering | Watered very abundantly with warm water. It is advisable not to water from above, but pour water into the pan. Avoid getting water on the base of the leaves, as this can cause them to rot. The soil should not dry out, it can cause the flowers to fall asleep. At the same time, excessive moistening should not be allowed, since this can cause decay of the root system. In winter, with a cool water content, watering should be reduced, but the substrate should dry completely. |
| How to fertilize | Top dressing is done approximately every 3 weeks, fertilizer being diluted approximately twice the recommended dose. With the end of the growth period, in autumn and winter, fertilizers do not apply. |
| Reproduction | Propagate by seeds, sowing them in a substrate of peat and sand, covering the pots with glass. Germinate at a temperature of about + 71,6 ° F. Seedlings appear in about 4-6 weeks.When they develop about four real leaves, the seedlings are dived into a separate bowl. It is better for germination to use fresh seeds, although they retain their germination for even a few years. The second method of reproduction is the division of the rhizome, which is carried out in the spring or autumn after flowering. A powerful rhizome is cut and slices processed with crushed coal. The rhizomes are planted, the plants are placed in the shade, while removing the leaves to reduce the evaporation surface. Use the lower watering, the water should not, if possible, fall on the slices from the leaves in order to avoid decay. After 2-3 weeks, if the plant has adapted, it can be placed on the window. |
| Bloom | The flowers are orange, red, orange-red, greenish, pink, there are green-violet and red-black. Blooms in May-July. As the flowering stalks should be cut to prevent any seed – it will prolong the flowering period. |
| Transplant and care | A sufficiently large flower pot is needed, in which there should be a place for growth of the roots. Transplant before the growing season in the event that the roots have filled the entire volume of the pot. When transplanting, dried leaves are removed. In summer, it is useful to take a flower to the garden or to the balcony, but to shelter it from the wind. |
| Difficulties | There may appear spider mites, mealybug. The leaves turn yellow and fall when the roots are rotting and decaying. Also, with excessive moisture, the leaves may blacken. The lack of flowering can be associated with low lighting or warm winter content. When the light is low, the stems are drawn out and the color turns pale. |
| Beneficial features | In Australia, Japan, the United States, the plant is grown for cutting, its flower arrows can stay in the water long enough. In floristry, dried flowers are also used. The extract from the flowers is used in the manufacture of cosmetic products for skin and hair care. |
| Toxicity | Not poisonous. |
