I used to think of the furry finger like growths as the flowers but they actually open to reveal the small flower inside.
I think these are "Bush Pioneer" and "Bush Endeavour" from the "Bush Gem" range, which are hybrids bred for good form and disease resistance. I didn't plant these and I am basing this on my memory of labels found in the garden when I was pruning last year. Since they have been here for many years and have had plenty of time to grow new offspring from cross pollinated seed, they may not be true to form any more in any case.
There is good advice about caring for Kangaroo Paws at the following links:
Gardening Australia Website: Fact Sheet: Kangaroo Paws
The Bush Gem range was bred by Angus Stewart and he has information and a video on his site, Gardening with Angus, about their care:
Everything I've read about their care recommends enthusiastic pruning twice a year, and say that a prune directly after flowering will likely produce a second flush of flowers - so that is next on my gardening tasks list.
If the plants are pruned before the flowers have died completely, new stems and flowers are encouraged to form in the same flowering season. Cut off any flower stalks that have started to look tatty at the base of the stalk, above a leaf node, with a 45 degree cut. Look out for active buds on the stem and don't cut below them.
Angus recommends cutting the flowers above a dormant flower bud low on each stem as soon as the first flowers open. The buds with grow out and give a second flush of flowers, and you can enjoy the cut flowers inside in a vase.
The other pruning should be after the flowering season, and should be more drastic, cutting the whole plant close to the ground to encourage new growth of leaves and flowers for next year.
Photographs Copyright by Megan Michie
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