Jungle Geranium – Ixora spp.

Common Name: Jungle Geranium

Botanical Name: Ixora spp., ik-SO-ra

Decorative Life: From 4-6 weeks.

Flower Color: Orange, Pink, Red, White

Availability: Spring, Summer, Year Round

• Member of the Rubiaceae (madder family).
• Native to India and surrounding area.
• Common relatives include galium, sweet-woodruff, coffee and gardenia.

• Flowers are tubular opening to 4-5 spreading lobes, in tight clusters at stem ends.
• Stems are often woody, leaves leathery.

• Ixora, a Malabar deity to whom the flowers were offered.
• There are many forms of Ixora under various Latin names, thus complicating an understanding of this species.
• Besides ornamentals, this family includes a number of important species noted for coffee, quinine, dyes and medicines.
• Will generally do well in light levels at least bright enough to read a newspaper in comfort.
• The reported dwarf species I. taiwanensis could not be confirmed in taxonomic journals.

Meir et al. (1994) reports that a synthetic auxin, NAA, greatly reduced or even prevented leaf abscission when plants were sprayed prior to exposure to chill inducing temperatures. In a later report (Michaeli et al., 1999), MCP was also shown to inhibit leaf abscission caused by chilling.