Clianthus puniceus Maximus Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Clianthus puniceus Maximus — 19cm / 3L19cm / 3L
Kaka Beak (Lobster Claw)

Clianthus puniceus Maximus

£19.99
Protect from hard frostSun-lovingEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
19cm / 3L £19.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

The Clianthus puniceus Maximus, better known as Kaka Beak, Lobster Claw or Parrot's Beak, is one of the most exotic flowering wall shrubs you can grow in a British garden. Through spring it drips with pendent clusters of large, curved, claw-shaped flowers in vivid red, set against soft, ferny evergreen foliage. This selected form, Maximus, is prized for its larger, richer blooms, giving a real taste of New Zealand on a warm, sheltered wall.

As a half-hardy exotic rated RHS H3, Clianthus puniceus needs a little care over winter but rewards it generously. The evergreen leaves hold through milder winters, and the main show of colour arrives from April to June when the nectar-rich flowers open and draw in bees and other pollinators. In hard winters it is easily protected, which is why so many gardeners grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.

Water regularly through the first couple of summers to build a strong root system, then keep it just moist and never waterlogged. Tie in the lax stems as they grow and give a light tidy after flowering to keep it shapely. It is superb trained on a sunny wall among other hardy exotics, earns its place in a sheltered exotic border, and is one of our favourite plants for pollinators. Grown in a large container from our plants for pots and containers range, it can simply be moved into a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory for winter. For a clear picture of how tender exotics behave through the year, see our hardy exotics what to expect guide.

Every Clianthus we supply is nursery-grown, selected for a healthy framework and strong root system, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Kaka Beak (Lobster Claw)

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Kaka Beak (Lobster Claw)

Clianthus puniceus Maximus needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H3 · Semi-hardy · down to around −5°C

half-hardy (RHS H3), so fleece the crown in hard frost or overwinter container plants under glass.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered

full sun in a warm, sheltered spot, ideally trained on a south or west-facing wall away from cold, drying winds.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandWell-drainedMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

fertile and free-draining is essential, on any pH from acid to alkaline; add grit to open up heavy ground.

Watering

Water regularly through the first two summers to settle the roots, then keep just moist and never waterlogged, especially over winter. Feed in spring, lightly tidy after the main flush of flowers, and mulch the base for frost protection. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first two summers to settle the roots, then keep just moist and never waterlogged, especially over winter. Feed in spring, lightly tidy after the main flush of flowers, and mulch the base for frost protection.

Mature size

Height2-3 m
Spread1.5-2 m

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Climbing

Flowering

Apr-Jun · Red

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Kaka Beak, best wall-trained. After flowering in early summer give a light trim, shortening sideshoots and tying in; avoid hard cutting into old wood.

Toxicity

No significant toxicity reported; generally considered non-harmful to people and pets. As a sensible precaution, discourage pets and children from chewing the foliage or seed pods.

Native range

New Zealand

Family

Fabaceae

Also known as

Clianthus puniceus Maximus

Genus

Clianthus
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clianthus puniceus Maximus hardy in the UK?

Clianthus puniceus Maximus is half-hardy, rated RHS H3, so it is not reliably frost-hardy. In milder gardens it comes through winter against a warm, sheltered wall, while in colder areas it is best grown in a container that can be moved under cover. Our what to expect from hardy exotics guide explains how these plants behave through the seasons.

How do you grow Kaka Beak (Clianthus puniceus)?

Give Kaka Beak a warm, sheltered spot in full sun, ideally trained on a south or west-facing wall. Plant it in fertile, free-draining soil with added grit, water well while it establishes, then keep it just moist. Explore more of our hardy exotics for the same warm-wall treatment.

When does Clianthus puniceus flower?

Expect the striking red, claw-shaped flowers in spring and into early summer, usually from April to June, hanging in clusters against the ferny evergreen foliage. The blooms are rich in nectar and draw in bees and other pollinators, so it sits well among our plants for pollinators.

Can you grow Clianthus puniceus in a pot?

Yes, a large container suits it perfectly and makes winter protection easy, since the pot can be moved into a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory in the coldest months. Use a loam-based compost with added grit for sharp drainage. See more of our plants for pots and containers.

Is Clianthus puniceus poisonous?

There is no significant toxicity reported for Clianthus puniceus, and it is generally regarded as non-harmful to people and pets. As with any garden plant, it is sensible to discourage pets and children from chewing the foliage or seed pods.

How big does Clianthus puniceus Maximus grow?

Clianthus puniceus Maximus is a vigorous scrambling wall shrub that reaches roughly 2 to 3 m tall with a spread of around 1.5 to 2 m when trained against a wall or support. It makes a bold flowering feature in a sheltered exotic border.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Clianthus puniceus Maximus
£19.99