Take Your Floral Arranging Game To The Next Level By Growing This Showy Flower At Home

If you love filling vases with cheerful flower arrangements, finding budget-friendly blooms is like hitting the jackpot. But growing fancy flowers for your bouquets can really make this hobby more affordable. Plus, you'll have access to the freshest possible flowers, which helps your creations look their best and last as long as possible. Kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos flavidus) is one eye-catching species to cultivate at home. You can grow it in a cut flower garden in USDA hardiness zones 10a through 11b and as a houseplant elsewhere.

Kangaroo paw is an ideal choice for floral arrangements because its blossoms don't fade quickly after the stems are cut. The flowers bloom in spring, summer, and fall when the plant lives outside. Each one's shape dares you to stare for a while and perhaps even comment on its finger-like protrusions. It's important to prune this plant once its flowers are spent, which helps it ward off ink spot, a fungal disease that also targets aspens and poplars. Cutting the plant back to about 1.5 inches is ideal. Fertilizing it regularly can also boost its disease resistance, especially if you give it a calcium boost.

Since kangaroo paw is native to Western Australia, it likes warm weather and moist, sandy soil that drains adequately. Some types can also tolerate clay in the ground as long as standing water isn't an issue. Kangaroo paw may reach a height of 6 feet if it's grown in full sun, but it will accept partial shade as well. When shopping for this plant, you're likely to find varieties with red, yellow, green, or pink flowers.

Harvesting kangaroo paws at the right time is crucial when using them in floral arrangements. Ensure that you're choosing mature specimens by identifying flowers that have opened all the way but show no signs of fading. To remove a flower from the plant, make an angled cut slightly higher than one of the stem's leaf nodes. Afterward, give your plant and the cut stems fresh water. When you start creating your arrangement, make another angled cut near the bottom of each stem and get rid of any unnecessary leaves. 

Eager to explore the eclectic floral design trend? A kangaroo paw makes a stellar focal point for this boho-inspired arranging style. In addition to offering height and an interesting shape, this flower brings fuzziness to the party your bouquet is throwing. Surrounding a kangaroo paw with flowers in contrasting colors can make your design especially appealing. So can incorporating glossy greenery or feather-like grasses, which introduce different textures to the mix. Also consider size and shape when selecting other flowers for your arrangement. For an eclectic look, try incorporating fluffy peonies, which beginner gardeners can grow in pots or a cutting garden.

You can also apply Japanese flower arranging principles with kangaroo paws. Just a few flowers are needed to make a breathtaking asymmetrical centerpiece. Consider using a kangaroo paw as your tallest flower and emphasizing its sculptural form. Designs inspired by the ikebana arranging style often pair flowers with non-floral elements such as moss, stone, and small tree branches. Alternatively, go minimalist and enjoy a single kangaroo paw in a vase.