Anigozanthos or Kangaroo Paw or Catspaw is a genus of Australian plants. It is from the Haemodoraceae family of plants. That is the Bloodwort Family. Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière (1755-1834), first named this genus in his book, Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse. He was a French biologist who focused on Australian botany. He went on expeditions to Australia in 1792 and collected the specimen. Western Australia has adopted the Red-and-green Kangaroo Paw as their emblem.
Anigozanthos are perennials. They have dark green sword-like leaves. The flowers range from deep yellow to red and pink. Anigozanthos grows to 3′ feet or 1m. tall some even taller close to 6′ feet or 2m. They bloom from late spring till fall. They prefer good drainage or sandy soil. But they adapt to a variety of soil types.
Anigozanthos grows from underground rhizomes. The saps in these rhizomes helps the plant survive dry periods. Anigozanthos forms a basal rosette of dark greyish-green leaves. Some species have hairy leaves. From the center of the rosette rise the leafless stalks that form a raceme of flowers. The racemes are usually covered in colored hair. The flower buds are also covered in hair. The flowers vary in colors. The tubular shape of the flowers is the reason it is called Kangaroo Paw.
