Jungle Geranium (Ixora coccinea) Growing & Care Guide for Gardeners
Article by Dean Ravenscroft, Ph.D. - Updated 1st Feb 2024
- Plant Characteristics: Features glossy green leaves and clusters of bright red, orange, or yellow flowers. A tropical evergreen shrub that adds vivid color to warm-climate gardens, and can be used as a hedging plant.
- Growing & Care: Prefers well-drained, acidic soil and full to partial sun. Regular watering and feeding will keep it blooming. Protect from cold temperatures.
- Tips for New Gardeners: Suitable for pots, which can be moved indoors in cooler climates. Pruning after flowering encourages bushier growth and more blooms.
Ixora coccinea is a flowering evergreen shrub that grows well in warm climates (zones 9 to 11).
It is also known by the common names 'Jungle Geranium' and 'Flame of the Woods'
As a member of the Rubiaceae family it is closely related to coffee, Gardenia, and Pentas.
Ixora coccinea plant by photograph.
How to Grow Ixora coccinea
If left to fend for itself it can reach a height of about six feet (1.8 m).
It has a greater spread than height making it great for use in hedges or as a screening plant.
It can also look good when grown in mass in a flowering bed, or even alone as a small shrub.
In cooler climates they can be grown in the greenhouse or in containers (take inside if temperatures are likely to drop below 50°F (10°C) and overwinter indoors in a sunny spot).
Many cultivars are available. In these the flowers can be yellow, red, orange, or pink.
Yellow Ixora coccinea lutea variety photograph by 阿橋 HQ; CC.
Flowers are small, tubular, and grow in rounded clusters.
Dwarf varieties are also available these reach about 3 feet in height (90 cm).
Ixora coccinea fruit, image by Dinesh Valke; CC.
Grow in a sunny area and provide medium watering.
It is a great low maintenance plant for attracting birds and butterflies to the garden.
Jungle Geranium topiary photograph taken in Da Nang, Vietnam.
As the Ixora plant is pruning tolerant it makes a great hedging plant and is ideal for use in topiary.
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Quick Growing and Care Guide
- Scientific Name: Ixora coccinea
- Common Name (s): Jungle Geranium, Flame of the Woods, Burning Love, Flame flower
- Growing Zone (USA Hardiness zone): 9B to 11 / UK Hardiness: H1c
Plant Details
- Life Cycle / Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen shrub. Rounded form
- Plant Height: 4 to 6 feet (1.3 to 1.8 m; can reach 12 feet (4 m)
- Plant Spread: 3 to 4.5 feet (90 to 180 cm)
- Blooms: year round
- Flower Details: Small. Red, Scarlet. Tubular. Four petals. Clusters. Cultivars can have yellow, white, orange, or pink flowers.
- Leaf Foliage: Oblong, opposite. Glossy. Juvenile: bronze; Adults: Dark green. Leathery texture.
- Fruit: Round. Dark purple or black,
Growing Conditions
- Best Light Conditions: Full sunlight
- Suitable Soil Types: Well drained. Rich, organic, loam.
- Suitable Soil pH: Acidic.
- Soil Soil Moisture: Moist.
- Sowing and Propagation: Propagate from 3 inch (7.5 cm) long stem cuttings. Spring. Plant into a pot containing a peat moss/sand/perlite mix. Cover with plastic lid. Grow at 70 to 81°F (21 to 27°C) under filtered light. Slowly rise lid over a few weeks once roots have established.
- Care: Low maintenance. Fairly salt and drought tolerant. Minimal pruning when plant gets out of shape (anytime - may reduce the amount of flowering for a while).
Further Information
- Best used for: Hedges, Screens, beds, specimen shrub
- Closely Related Species: Madder plants.
- Miscellaneous: Genus name refers to Portuguese word for lord. Attracts birds and butterflies to the garden.
- Family: Rubiaceae; Coffee family. Closely related species and genera include: Woodruff.
- Gardening Resources - and tips on growing Ixora coccinea used to create this growing guide: Wikipedia; MBG; UFL: Florida Gardening Solutions
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Ixora coccinea plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Crosswort and Asperula plants.
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