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Products > Ptilotus exaltatus 'Platinum Wallaby'
 
Ptilotus exaltatus 'Platinum Wallaby'

Note: This plant is no longer in stock. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.  
Image of Ptilotus exaltatus 'Platinum Wallaby'
 
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Perennial
Family: Amaranthaceae (Amaranths)
Origin: Australia (Australasia)
Flower Color: Pink
Bloomtime: Spring/Fall
Height: 1-2 feet
Width: <1 foot
Exposure: Full Sun
Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F
Ptilotus exaltatus 'Platinum Wallaby' (Pink Mulla Mulla) - A short lived perennial that grows to 12-18 inches tall with silver-gray foliage topped by a 4 inch tall feathery spikes of small flowers in conical arrangements that start out silvery in bud and age to a nearly neon pink color from the bottom of the spike up from early spring to late fall. This plant selected for its compact growth habit and long bloom period with long lasting flower spikes is an exciting new plant for the California Garden. Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil. Reportedly tolerant of inland heat and winter cold to 20 F though likely it will perform best in warmer winter areas of California. Water only occasionally to infrequently. Should add an interesting color accent and texture to the dry garden or make an attractive container specimen. This plant replaces Ptilotus exaltatus 'Joey', a attractive but very short lived plant (annual) that we were encouraged to grow in 2008 and we are hopeful that 'Platinum Wallaby' will prove more durable though we have not had any long term experience with it. Ptilotus is a genus in the Amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) with over 100 species primarily native to Australia but with at least one species on the Malesia islands of Flores and Timor. Ptilotus exaltatus is widespread in Australia along the northern coast of Western Australia, east into the Northern Territory and south into Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia where it is commonly known as Pink Mulla Mulla, or Showy Foxtail. This cultivar appears to have originated in Australia under the name Ptilotus exaltatus 'Phoenix', a plant bred by Peter Abell of Passionwood Perennials. It is being marketed in the U.S. by Proven Winners. Image courtesy of by Proven Winners. 

The information displayed on this page about Ptilotus exaltatus 'Platinum Wallaby' is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.

 
We closed for regular business at the end of 2025 in order for the property to be developed for affordable housing.
Our gates remain closed but we will open them by appointment to interested parties through August 21st to liquidate remaining plants, supplies and equipment.
The plants remaining in the field are listed on our
Live Inventory Page.