Ixora is a flowering shrub from the Asian tropics. This evergreen plant belongs to the madder family. Often this flower is also called the "Flame of the Forest".
As a room culture, Ixora is capable of reaching a meter in size, but is usually smaller in stature. This shrub has oblong and shiny citrus-like leaves. Its showy globular or umbellate inflorescences appear at the ends of the stems. Depending on the variety, they can have white, pink, red, yellow colors, there are also shades of orange. In favorable conditions, Ixora is able to delight with its flowers the entire warm season: from spring to autumn.
In India, Ixora is used as a medicinal plant. Its roots are used as a medicine for fever and as an antidiarrheal agent. Leaves can work as an antiseptic.
For home cultivation, two types of this flower are most suitable: bright red and Javanese ixora. Despite the name, it is the latter that differs in red flowers.
Ixora care at home
Location and lighting
Ixora is light-requiring and prefers rather bright, but scattered rays. So that in autumn and winter the flower does not suffer from a lack of light, it is best to place a pot with it on the southern windows. In regions where there are enough sunny days all year round, a moderately lit eastern or western window sill is suitable for the plant. You can use additional lighting: you don't need to move the ixora and even turn the pot. A sudden change of scenery will be stressful for the flower.
Optimum temperature
The tropical beauty prefers warmth. In summer, she will be satisfied with a temperature of about 20 degrees. In winter, the bar can be lowered to +15, but by this time the plant should be sufficiently hardened.
Air humidity
The homeland of Ixora is humid forests. The plant needs regular spraying, but in winter the amount is slightly reduced. You can put a container with it on a pallet with wet expanded clay.
Watering
In the summer, the ixora is watered abundantly, in the winter, the volume of water is slightly reduced. It is recommended not to wait for the entire coma to dry, but to moisten the soil every time its top layer dries up. For watering it is worth taking soft water at room temperature.
Soil selection
When choosing land for a plant, you should be careful. Ixora loves slightly acidic soil. Planting in an alkaline or even neutral environment can result in diseases and yellowing of the foliage. For self-preparation of the desired composition, you will need equal parts of leafy earth, turf, peat and sand. Don't forget about a good drainage layer.
Top dressing
During the period of active growth, Ixora can be fertilized. Do this twice a month using a universal complex composition for flowering plants. It is not recommended to apply fertilizers from the beginning of autumn to spring.
Transfer
The shrub does not have a specific transplantation regime; they are carried out in the spring as they grow.Most often, young plants have to be transplanted. The roots of the flower are not too large and rather compact, so a small pot will suit it. In mature plants, they only replace the top layer of the soil.
Pruning
When the flowering of Ixora is completed, you can cut off its shoots by half. In the spring, it is better not to undertake this procedure: cutting off young branches can harm future flowering. With the removal of dry peduncles, you should also be careful: there may be new buds behind them.
Ixora breeding methods
There are two options for breeding Ixora: cuttings and sowing seeds.
Cuttings are cut in early spring, before the plant has time to form buds, or after flowering. They are planted in light sandy soil and placed in a warm place with a temperature of at least +25 degrees. You can additionally wrap the seedlings with foil. The rooting process usually takes up to 2 months. You can not plant cuttings immediately, but hold them in water or vermiculite for several weeks until roots appear.
For sowing, small containers are selected. The seeds are lightly sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, moistened with a spray bottle and placed under a film. In a fairly warm room, sprouts appear in a couple of weeks.
Diseases and pests
Ixora can suffer from the main pests of house flowers: scale insects, thrips, spider mites and nematodes. Potential diseases of the bush are usually associated with improper care. So, if you water Ixora with unstable ice water, you can cause the development of chlorosis.
Growing difficulties
When buying a plant, it is important to pay attention to its condition and the health of the leaves. Several ixors planted in one pot will have to be divided until their roots are intertwined.
The cause of the main problems with Ixora can be determined by its appearance. The plant does not like frequent rearrangements and in the spring, because of them, it is able to shed its buds. Too dry air can also be the culprit.
Pale leaves and stunted growth usually indicate a lack of light or fertilizer. If the foliage turns yellow and falls off, it may be due to a lack of moisture or cold watering. If the leaves do not turn yellow evenly, but get streaks, it is worth acidifying the soil in the pot.
