My Kangaroo Paw is 2 years old and potted on the patio. It's been having a simply magnificent year and seemed very happy. The blooms are big and bright and were beginning to open. The foliage was green and healthy. It gets morning sun until about 3. Two days ago, a large part of the foliage at the base turned yellow, en masse. It is now slimy and is starting to rot. The flowers themselves turned grey at the tips the same day. I have removed the slimy leaves, in hopes of saving the healthy foliage, but 1/3 of the remaining plant is yellow and will most likely rot as well.
Does anyone know what has happened to this plant? Can I save it? What should I do?
I treat my plants organically.
Any advice would be appreciated.
LkP
Problem with Kangaroo Paw
My guess is too much water--they are pretty drought tolerant so not hard to overwater. If the soil in the pot is still really wet, it may help to repot it in some drier soil. If you could post some pictures that might help.
I agree, the most likely cause would be too much water. They come from a mediterranean climate, winter rain, very dry summer.
I tried it twice here.....both times fine until we started getting our summer rains...then belly up.
I think you should take some cuttings of the healthy part of the plant, in case it doesn't make it. You can root them, and keep them indoors in the a/c until fall when the humidity abates a bit. My plants that don't like wet and humidity are moved to more shade once the nights get really warm - a place under a roof overhang is great because then watering can be controlled - i.e. they don't get drenched by rain, you water only when the plant needs it.
It needs to be in more shade as summer progresses because in the sun until 3pm in March or April is a LOT different than in May onward. You have to water more just because it's getting so hot in the afternoons before the shade kicks in. This far south, a lot of plants that say "Full Sun" on the label really like shade through the middle of the day - 11am to 3pm - in the summertime. My roses are good examples of that.
So if you can save the rest of the plant, pot it up in new potting mix - a more dry mix like some cactus mix might be good - NEVER use that "Moisture Control" potting mix if you live where the weather is humid. It has those granules that attract moisture from the air, and it stays way too wet.
I gave this plant a try FOUR different times and all four rotted - won't try it again. I have a friend who has several pots and one in the ground - all doing splendidly, watered daily by her in-ground sprinkler system - so, they aren't impossible to grow - it's a matter of finding just the right spot for them.
Basically they're not a tropical plant and that's where a lot of people make a mistake. It's a matter of trying to replicate it's wet winter/dry summer conditions.
Yeah, looked it up and it's native to Southwest Australia, dry and sandy so more like a Mediterranean climate, right? Lots of those type plants really struggle when the humidity starts getting up there. Sounds like a spot that would get morning sun, but is under an overhang that will keep the rain from soaking it might be the right place to summer that plant.
They're selling them at our big box stores this week . . . they're pretty but think I'll pass.
They do great here in CA where we get no summer rain and not much humidity so I could see it might have trouble in a more humid climate. Big box stores are not very good about selling things that will do well in the area they're in...the ones out here like to sell plants that would be much happier in Florida! LOL
Thx for all the replies. We are letting it dry out, reducing watering times, and have removed all the dead or dying foliage. It is already planted in a sandy mix. I think it will make it, but I still have my fingers crossed.
We are so used to higher water needs here as the temps climb, I think we were killing it with kindness. Your advice has, hopefully, saved this gorgeous plant.
Once again, thank you!
I took pics,btw, but cannot post them. For some reason the button at the bottom of the page is greyed out and won't let me click it.:/ If I figure out why I'll post pics of the problem so others can see it in the future.
Are you trying to post from a phone, iPad, etc? That's the only reason I can think of that the photo button would be grayed out, if you're using a computer it should let you upload.