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I purchased a range of Kangaroo Paws a couple of weeks ago. Within less than a week of bringing them home I noticed some of the plants had started to show signs of drooping flowers, over time more of them have started to have their colours fade in the flowers and leaves also droop.
Last year I purchased a similar quantity of plants (one of each of the lovely new colours and some more traditional colour varieties) and put them straight in a sunny position as that’s what the tag said (full sun) but within 2 days noticed drooping. I had placed three of the smaller pots I purchased them in each larger pot to get used to their position before I repotted them into those pots permanently. I gave it another couple days to see if they just needed to acclimatise, but the issue got worse. I moved them to a shaded area that receives afternoon sun and watched them closely, watering when they dried out and even providing some native plant fertiliser. But there was no saving them, all of them died over the next few months. I even tried pruning some back as some websites suggested but that didn’t help.
Based on this experience, when I brought my new plants home this year I placed them in the part shaded area (afternoon sun) with the plan to slowly increase their sun exposure over time, hopefully avoiding shock. I watered sparingly but still 1-2 a week when they looked dry. I have not yet repotted them, but the intention was to put them in the ground or a larger pot soon. The drooping started within a week and as mentioned before, has spread.
I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong, can you please offer some advice on how to help these plants? I’ve never had such poor luck with plants deteriorating so quickly upon bringing them home.
Images are a mix of this year and last year’s plants (last years are placed in a larger pot together, this years sit on a metal grate).
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @naomispringett. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about Kangaroo paw care.
I'm so sorry to hear you've experienced issues with your plants.
The Kangaroo Paws being left in their nursery pots can make it tricky to manage their watering needs. These smaller pots often dry out very quickly, and it’s easy to either overwater or underwater them. Nursery pots are designed for short-term use, so plants in these pots tend to struggle without the consistent moisture or space they need to thrive. Overwatering can lead to root rot, while underwatering can cause the plants to become stressed, leading to the drooping you're noticing.
Planting them in larger pots or directly into the garden would make them far easier to manage. Larger pots or garden planting give the roots more room to grow and retain moisture more evenly, making it easier to meet the plants’ watering requirements. It would also prevent the Kangaroo Paws from becoming too waterlogged or too dry, which seems to have been a challenge in the nursery pots.
If you're able to, I’d recommend moving them to larger pots or, better still, into the garden as soon as possible. They’ll benefit from a stable environment with more consistent access to moisture. Make sure to use a well-draining, sandy soil mix, as Kangaroo Paws don’t like to sit in overly wet soil. Once planted, water them deeply but less frequently, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings.
Also, keep in mind that Kangaroo Paws thrive in full sun and are quite hardy in those conditions once established, but it’s important they don’t experience rapid changes in environment. Gradually acclimatising them to their new position, as you're doing, is a great approach.
I'd also recommend checking the drainage in their current pots to ensure they aren't sitting in water. It's best to water thoroughly and then let the soil dry out before watering again, but if the nursery pots aren't draining well, they may stay too wet.
By planting them in a larger pot or garden, you'll give them the best chance to grow strong and avoid the watering inconsistencies that smaller nursery pots can create.
We do have a Perfect Plant Promise, so if you find that your plants perish, I'd suggest taking them back to the store of purchase with your proof of purchase. Our Nursery Expert can discuss the best care for your plants and try to further troubleshoot the issue with you.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
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