The Ixora is a tropical flowering shrub known for its vibrant, long-lasting blooms. Common names include Jungle Geranium, Flame of the Woods, and West Indian Jasmine. This evergreen shrub produces dense flower clusters almost continuously throughout the year in ideal conditions, making it a favorite for reliable color in warm-climate landscapes.
Identifying Characteristics and Origin
The genus Ixora belongs to the plant family Rubiaceae, which also includes coffee and gardenia, and consists of around 500 species of tropical trees and shrubs. The plant’s center of diversity is in Tropical Asia, with many common cultivated varieties originating from regions like Southern India and Southeast Asia. The most widely grown species is Ixora coccinea, although most available garden plants are complex hybrids and cultivars.
The foliage is characterized by leathery, glossy, dark green leaves that are typically oblong or lance-shaped. These leaves are arranged oppositely or whorled on the stems. The growth habit is compact and rounded, with varieties ranging significantly in size from dwarf cultivars under three feet to standard types reaching 10 to 15 feet.
The flowers emerge in large, dense, rounded clusters called corymbs or inflorescences. Each individual flower is small and tubular with four petals, massing together to form showy “pom-poms” several inches across. These clusters display bright colors, including scarlet red, orange, yellow, pink, and white.
Essential Care and Cultivation Needs
To produce prolific blooms, the Ixora requires generous light, ideally six to ten hours of bright, direct sunlight daily. Full sun encourages the best flowering, but plants in extremely hot climates benefit from partial shade during the harshest afternoon heat to prevent leaf scorching.
The plant requires consistent moisture, needing well-drained soil that is kept evenly moist but never waterlogged, which can lead to root rot. Due to its tropical origins, the Ixora thrives in warm environments, preferring temperatures between 60°F and 85°F. It is highly intolerant of cold, making it susceptible to injury or death if exposed to frost or temperatures dipping into the upper 20s Fahrenheit.
A specific cultivation requirement is acidic soil pH, ideally ranging from 5.0 to 6.5. When planted in alkaline soil (high pH), the Ixora frequently develops chlorosis, a condition where new leaves turn pale yellow while the veins remain green. This yellowing occurs because the high pH prevents the plant from properly absorbing micronutrients like iron and manganese.
Gardeners often need to apply fertilizers specifically formulated for acid-loving plants, such as those used for azaleas or camellias. For immediate treatment of chlorosis, a foliar spray containing chelated iron can be applied directly to the leaves, allowing for quicker absorption. Pruning is generally tolerated and used to maintain shape or size, though constant shearing of hedges can reduce the number of potential bloom sites.
Common Varieties and Landscape Uses
Ixora cultivars are primarily differentiated by mature size and flower color, offering options for diverse landscape applications. Popular dwarf varieties, such as ‘Maui’ (orange blooms) and ‘Pink Pixie’, are excellent for container gardening or low border plantings. Larger shrubs like ‘Nora Grant’, known for its pinkish-red flowers, are frequently utilized as foundation plantings or visual screens.
The vibrant color palette allows the plant to serve as an impactful specimen shrub. In tropical and subtropical regions, it is extensively used for hedges and mass plantings. Outside of its hardiness zones, the Ixora is commonly grown in pots and brought indoors as a houseplant, provided it is placed in a location with abundant light.