Height of Purple Passion — Natural Hues of Anigozanthos flavidus

Day 20, A plant a day , Lowlands Reserve, Friday the 13th , 2020

First photo, Anigozanthos flavidus in Lowlands Reserve 13 November 2020, and, 2nd photo, Anigozanthos flavidus grown by Leah at Albany TAFE in a pot

Had to feature kangaroo paws today! We went to the Albany Show, and our beautiful friend, Leah, gave us a wonderful silvery lilac coloured Anigozanthos flavidus, she grew at TAFE in a pot! I also bought a bunch of purple Anigozanthos flavidus from the warm and wise Sandra at the Wildflower Society stall. Whilst, Sandra wouldnt tell me exactly where the purple Anigozanthos flavidus grow naturally, I can let you know , that this bunch in photos number 3 and 4 came from somewhere near Walpole.

Photo numbers 3 and 4 The Walpole purple coloured kangaroo paw now in a vase at home and me proudly clutching my treasures from the show — Who needs a cuddly toy and a show bag? 13 November 2020. So tall they wouldnt fit in the photo. Some kangaroo paws grow to more than 3 metres — the height of purple passion!

A few other people stopped to comment as I was carrying my treasures around at the show. A friendly local then told me that purple coloured Anigozanthos flavidus also grow naturally at Lake Seppings in Albany — so you can go check them out, if you live nearby.

Photos numbers 5 and 6, Anigozanthos flavidus from our block and purple anigozanthos flavidus from the Walpole bunch. 13 November 2020

Photos numbers 7, 8 and 9, Anigozanthos manglesii in our garden. And also Anigozanthos rufus from our garden, an overnight resting place for these critters (male black flower wasps, Tiphiidae). 13 November 2020

Deciding in advance which species, to feature in a plant a day from Lowlands Reserve, can be problematic. For although Anigozanthos flavidus common green coloured Kangaroo Paws are numerous and naturally occurring on our block, they are not hugely common in our nearest sections of the Lowlands Coastal Reserve. But, I can assure you, that there are many Kangaroo Paws close by and actually in the Lowlands Coastal Reserve, mainly in the wetter sunnier clearer hollows next to Bibbulmun track and also near the northern edge close to peoples’ fence lines. My first photo and next photo is of one of these. Kangaroo Paws are a first succession plant and enjoy a spacious environment.

Anigozanthos flavidus, a tall one , nearly 2 metres in Lowlands Coastal Reserve 13 November 2020

Although our Lowlands Reserve Kangaroo Paw flowers are mainly green, Florabase states the Anigozanthos flavidus colours range from yellow, green or red or reddish-brown to purple.

Many little critters take refuge in the Kangaroo Paws. Teensy cobweb weaver spider here, Therididae family perhaps

Lil spider hid among the flower parts. Lowlands Coastal Reserve 13 November 2020

Watching birds feeding from the nectar and incidentally collecting pollen on their heads is fascinating. The next time you are near a Kangaroo Paw flower, peek down its centre, and then brush the back of your hand against the open flower, its awesome to then see 4, 5 or 6 neat lines of pollen appearing on your hand.

There be nectar down the tunnel, but beware having pollen-feathers when you move on, springs new look for the birds is to sport pollen dust on your head feathers.

Kangaroo Paw young shoots (before flowering) and roots are bush tucker. The recorded Noongar names for Anigozanthos flavidus are catteh, cathah, cassiteh and koroylbardang. Our state floral totem (emblem), Anigozanthos manglesii is known as kuttych, kurulbrang and yonga marr (yonga marr is a translation of kangaroo paw) by the Noongar people.

Lowlands Coastal Reserve is on Menang Boodja — country. I celebrate the strength, resilience and capacity of the Menang Noongar people who are the traditional owners of the land.

My fundraising for Bush Heritage #groundworkchallenge is going well . To join my team or donate go to https://www.groundworkchallenge.org.au/fundraisers/sheilamurray/2020?fbclid=IwAR2HbNn0YsCCc3tiSK-_lbF5xLsssaD8wjGHaUwVYrRqYxM-kdJkijoj2N0

Lowlands Reserve is managed by the community and by the City of Albany. Bush Heritage manage many other wonderful reserves

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Graveyard of Lost Words:

I love Kangaroo Paws and other Haemodaraceae . The fuzzy felt textures of the flowers bring back so many memories of the childrens toy “Fuzzy Felt”, I think I had this one: