Hummingbirds love kangaroo paws

This is one part in a weekly series featuring the UC Davis Arboretum’s “Pollinator Plant List: Hummingbirds” series – 30 can’t-fail, easy-care, low-water plants well adapted to our region and that attract hummingbirds.

Yellow kangaroo paw

Anigozanthos ‘Bush Gold’

Size: 2 feet tall with 3-foot flower spikes.

Bloom season: Golden flowers in late spring and summer.

Exposure: Full sun.

Pruning needs: Remove any winter-damaged foliage in early spring.

Water needs: Medium; once established, water deeply once a week.

Snapshot: Native to southwest Australia, kangaroo paws have become a major hit in low-water landscapes. These evergreen perennials feature spikey, vertical foliage that creates a good accent when used with rounded plants. In late spring and summer, these perennials produce curious, 3-foot-tall stalks of yellow, furry “paw-like” flowers that open to green inside. Hummingbirds love those flowers – as well as a place to perch on those stalks. Kangaroo paws can be frost sensitive and may need protection during winter.

For more on “Pollinator Plant List: Hummingbirds,” click on arboretum.ucdavis.edu.

This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Hummingbirds love kangaroo paws."