Not sure, Jenn, but thinking that maybe he's grouping them with grasses. I'm going to talk with him next week about NOT doing this this year, and letting them grow. I can trim out the spent flower stalks to encourage more bloom. I was somewhat horrified myself when he did it the first time. Didn't check with anyone, and he did it a second time last fall. That's when I figured this was absolutely not the right thing to do for this species. Confirmed in the MG class. Patty S.

No real secret to growing the easiest hybrids with Anigozanthus flavidus parentage, but they do prefer both good drainage and regular warm season irrigation. In habitat they even well tolerate seasonal winter flooding and summer wild fires. Full sun, good air circulation, planting out in cooler months to minimize drought stress,(typical nursery container mixes for them very quickly dry out if you aren't adequately wetting the root ball, and probably accounts for most plant deaths). They are extremely easy once established, but don't crowd the foliage or insist on overhead spray irrigation which encourages ink spot disease.

Looks like an old one to me. New stalks tend to be greenish, then develop some reddish fuzz at the ends as they mature, like the current one with the flowers. Old ones loose their color and gradually become more dry and brittle.

Sorry to be a bore and just do a copy and paste answer like any mug can do but I can't help but feel that the problem with Kangaroo Paws is that they are difficult. So, it's not you, it's them. Here's a snippet on their care: Cultivation Requirements In general kangaroo paws grow best in well-drained soils in a sunny position. Well-composted organic matter will improve growth. It is advisable to regard kangaroo paws as short-lived plants. Experience at the Gardens has shown that plant performance declines after 3 to 5 years. Some species, for example, Anigozanthos manglesii, are best considered annuals. Dividing the clumps will help retain vigour. Some organic matter should be added to the soil after division. Most species are dormant over winter (some die back completely) and it is important not to over-water at this time. At the Gardens, kangaroo paws are cut back to within about 10 cm of the ground in late winter. In this way diseased and frost damaged leaves are removed, reducing the chance that they will harbour pests and diseases. https://www.anbg.gov.au/anigozanthos/index.html