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| Category: Perennial |
| Family: Haemodoraceae |
| Origin: Australia (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Black |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
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Macropidia fuliginosa 'Nightlife' (Nightlife Black Kangaroo Paw) - This evergreen short lived perennial forms clumps to 1 to 2 feet tall with sword-like gray-green foliage. In mid spring and lasting until mid summer emerge the 3 to 4 foot tall branched inflorescence with dark stems and dark blackish buds that flare open at tips like a paw to expose the lime green inner portion of the flowers. Plant in a sunny protected location in the garden or in a container (recommended) with very well drained soil . Irrigate regularly (drip is best to avoid wetting foliage) and fertilize lightly in spring but avoid using fertilizers with (P) phosphorus. Hardy to about 25-30 ° F, but best if protected from frost as to not damage the foliage. Fans only flower once and need to be cleaned out after the flowering period so remove the old leaves down to as low as possible at the end of a season. Macropidia is a monotypic genus from Western Australia. It is very prone to ink spot disease, which also devastates some Anigozanthos species, so it is difficult to maintain for long in the garden - a recent recommendation from King's Park Botanic Garden in Western Australia is to avoid overhead water. Its unusual flower color makes it worthwhile for as long as one can have it. Attracts hummingbirds to the garden. Macropidia fuliginosa 'Nightlife' is new variety that comes to us from Green Fuse Botanicals. We don't have much information on this variety that would distinguish it from other Macropidia fuliginosa cultivars we have grown but Green Fuse describes it as having flowers to 4 feet tall, which would certainly be taller than the species. The photo on this page courtesy of Green Fuse Botanicals.
This information about Macropidia fuliginosa 'Nightlife' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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