Ozbreed
Ozbreed
Ozbreed
The Velvet Range ™ Kangaroo Paw
Landscape Hardy Anigozanthos Hybrids from Western Australia
The Velvet Range of Kangaroo Paw is the brainchild of Western Australia plantsman and breeder Keith Oliver. Over the years, Mr. Oliver has made many great selections of Anigozanthos including ‘Little Jewel’, ‘Space Age’, ‘Elegant Charmer’, and the popular ‘Big Red’. The objective of this breeding program was to select cultivars that met some basic criteria: intermediate size, improved cold hardiness, and superior resistance to ink spot. Of course, bloom impression was also a top priority and it shows with the big bold flowers in spring and early summer.
This is relatively new collection for us so to date we have relied on Australian trial reports while we continue to gather our own performance information. After several years of trialing and now commercial production, the Aussies are happy to report that they have confirmed these exciting plant characteristics. Australian data suggests that these kangaroo paw will work in more humid regions of the US; which will have a huge impact on the Anigozanthos market.
The thought is that this collection will offer landscape professionals (architects, designers, contractors) several varieties of kangaroo paw that have the aesthetics of others available today without the inherent problems making them sustainable in the landscape. Additionally, because the blooms are so striking, we feel confident that they will also find a home in the cut flower market.