How to Grow Kangaroo Paw Plants in a Container

The kangaroo paw plant is native to Australia. It gets its name from its flowers, which are shaped like a palm with curved, thin fingers, similar to a kangaroo. The flowers are brightly colored in green and red, but do not produce any fragrance. They bloom in August, and each stalk produces one flower. Kangaroo paw plants are good container plants because they are low maintenance and can thrive in a number of sunlight levels.

Organic potting soil
Wood chip mulch
Liquid fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer
Shears

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a plant pot halfway with organic potting soil. Remove the kangaroo paw plant from its nursery container.
- 2
  Loosen the root ball with your hands and lower the plant into the new pot. Backfill the pot until the plant is at the same soil depth as it was in the nursery container.
- 3
  Water until the soil settles. Set the container in a bright, warm spot that gets full sun or partial shade, which is between four and eight hours of sunlight per day.
- 4
  Cover the soil with a 1-inch layer of wood chip mulch. This will keep the soil moist.
- 5
  Water whenever the soil feels dry. Water the soil under the plant as opposed to overwatering, which can lead to rot. If the plants are in pots outside, water them in the early morning so the water can evaporate before nighttime.
- 6
  Dilute a liquid fertilizer to half strength with water and apply it once a month. You can also use slow-release fertilizer tablets or granules. Apply according to the package directions.
- 7
  Cut the old stalks after the flowers fade. Since the stalks only bloom once, they will begin to die back anyway and can look untidy.

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