Origin & History

The kangaroo paw's botanical name anigozanthus is derived from the Greek anoigo (to open), and anthos (flower.) The name reflects the kangaroo paw's way of opening widely from the blossom's base. The French botanist Jacques-Julian Houton de Labillardiere was the first European to collect kangaroo paw at his home near Esperance in 1792. It was proclaimed the flower emblem of Western Australia on November 9, 1960.