The Ixora plant has gorgeous dark green foliage and tiny multi-colored flowers.

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You can't go wrong by looking into selecting ixora. Take some time and see what this lovely plant can do for you and your landscaping projects.

Common names:

If you are looking for ixora, don't forget that there are many different species of this gorgeous plant. When you are looking for it in general, make sure that you look under some of its more common names.

You may also hear it called West Indian Jasmine, rangan, kheme, ponna, chann and tanea. Depending on the location, it might also be called jungle flame, jungle geranium, santan or jarum-jarum

Plant Description

When you are looking at this variety of plant, you may wonder what it can bring to your garden. Generally,depending on the variety, you will find yourself considering a dense evergreen shrub that will typically grow to around four to six feet in height, though some can get as tall as twelve feet.

They are generally rounded in form, with glossy, leathery leaves that are about four inches long. You will find a great deal of variety in flower color and plant size, and depending on the climate, are able to produce blooms all year long.

Plant Location:

The plant is from southeast Asia originally, including, but not limited to southern India and Sri Lanka. It is quite popular away from its homeland and has been used in areas as diverse as Japanese bosai and South Florida gardening and landscapes.

When you are looking to grow the ixora yourself, you need to remember that this plant has a fairly good tolerance for salt, but none at all when it comes to alkaline soils.

Make sure that you are not planting it where it will receive runoff from concrete or asphalt.

The ixora plant does quite well in partial shade when you are in a warm environment, but you will find that when you give it full sun, it will grow dense, compact and with more flowers.

In terms of moisture, you will find that this plant needs a high humidity and well-drained soil. Make sue that you give it a lot in the way of a high nitrogen fertilizer and that you water it regularly in the full heat.

Usage:

There are many great uses for your ixora. If you live in a warm climate, use it for screens and for hedges, and if you are in a cooler place, it does well as a potted plant that has full light or in a light house.

It looks good in containers and if necessary, it tolerates hard pruning very well.

Pros:

This is a gorgeous, hardy evergreen that does well in a variety of different situations. For such a lovely plant, the care required is fairly minimal, and its hardiness is quite good. It can be used to add a splash of great color to any garden, and the green leaves are very handsome.

Cons:

Be careful of where you plant it. Putting it too near concrete or asphalt can be an issue, as can placing it near a pond. You may also need to watch out for root knot nematodes, which can be prevalent with older plants.

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