Ixora a great bushy plant to beautify your garden or patio

Ixora is one of the bushy plants with which you can beautify your garden or patio. It does not grow much, so it is interesting to even grow it in a pot, but it also produces a large number of flower clusters throughout the year.

Alpinia, a tropical plant with shells-like flowers for your garden

It is quite grateful… In fact, one of the few things to keep in mind to keep it healthy is that it requires plenty of water. For the rest, you will surely love it

Origin and characteristics of the Ixora

The Ixora is a genus of shrubby and evergreen plants native to Asian and American tropical areas, although they are also widely cultivated in tropical regions of the rest of the world. They grow to a height of about 3-4 meters, with simple, lanceolate, and green leaves.

They bloom for a good part of the year, except in winter. The flowers are grouped in very dense clusters, red, orange, or white. These are very attractive to pollinating insects, such as butterflies, or bees, something that is certainly interesting when they are, for example, near or in the garden.

What is the care they need?
Location
They are plants that, whenever possible, should be placed outside, in full sun. Now, they will not have problems if they put themselves in semi-shade while that place is bright.

land
Pot: the substrate to choose has to be rich in organic matter and also something porous so that water drainage is ideal. For example, a good mixture would be mulch with 30% perlite. Likewise, the pot must have holes in its base, otherwise, the roots of the Ixora would rot.
Garden: the land must be fertile, well-drained.
Irrigation
As we mentioned, they need frequent watering. During the summer they have to water about 3-4 times per week, while the rest of the year will be enough 2 weekly irrigations, or even less if the environment is

humid.
If in doubt, check the moisture of the substrate or soil before wetting it again.

Subscriber
From the beginning of spring until the end of summer it is interesting to fertilize it with fertilizers for flowering plants, following the indications specified on the package.

Another option is to use organic fertilizers, such as guano, seaweed extract, or compost.

Multiplication
The Ixora is multiplied by seeds and cuttings in spring.

Seeds
Following this step by step:

First, choose a seedbed that has a hole in its base through which water can flow out. A seedbed is highly recommended, although so are the pots.
Then fill it with a mixture of mulch with perlite in equal parts.
Then, place a maximum of two seeds in each seedbed, ensuring that they are as far apart as possible.
Then cover them with a thin layer of the substrate.
Finally, water and place the seedbed outside, in full sun.
They will germinate in about 5-7 days.

Cuttings
You just have to cut a stem that has more than two knots or buds and submerge it in a glass of water. It is important to cover 2 knots, and that said liquid is renewed and that the container is cleaned every one or two days.

After about a month and a half, you will have enough roots to plant it in a pot.

Pruning
In late winter, or after flowering if it is a plant that already produces flowers. Dry leaves and wilted flowers should be removed whenever necessary, as well as for trim the branches that have grown excessively with disinfected pruning shears.

Rusticity
They do not resist frost. The minimum temperature they endure is 10 degrees, as long as it is for a short time. Anyway, in the case of living in an area where winters are cold, it is a good idea to have them inside