Ixora chinensis 'Prince of Orange'
There is much confusion between this species and Ixora coccinea but both species are much loved tropical flowering plants which are hardy from the tropics into the warm temperate zones.The flowers are produced continually through the warm months and well into autumn. The foliage is glossy as well and as the entire shrub never grows more than a metre or so making it suitable for container growing even in colder climates. Other colour forms become available from time to time including a peach coloured form and a pure white. These are less hardy. The only problem encountered in growing it comes from insect pests. It is prone to scale which is "farmed" by ants and this needs to be sprayed with an oil based spray from time to time.
2017 update: i no longer grow it or have plants available for sale.
2017 update: i no longer grow it or have plants available for sale.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI live in Sydney. I have a SE facing garden. Will Ixora grow well here and will it grow to about 2m.
Thanks
Peter
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteIxora is unlikely to reach 2 metres. Possibly 1.5 at the most. It is fairly slow growing, will tolerate shade, will take any amount of hot sun as well but dislikes wet feet during winter. Look out for scale insects on it as the major pest.
cheers Ian
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI live in Melbourne and was wondering how the ixora plant would go as an indoor plant in front of a north facing window which receives a lot of sun?
Thanks
Connie
Hi Connie,
ReplyDeleteYes it would be suitable for that spot. A lot of the indoor gardening books mention Ixora as a house plant. Take it outside at least once every 2 weeks and soak it in a bucket made up with some liquid fertilizer and hose the leaves if you can. Less water over winter.
cheers Ian
I live in Port Macquarie NSW & Ixora do well here. However mine have developed a sort of black sooty are at tips and at base of blooms. It is not flowering well at all. I have used white oil and also feed with seasol
ReplyDeleteEven after you get rid of the scale using the white oil the black sooty mould stays on the leaves for awhile.Give it a mulch of cow manure at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteHello Ian, I live near Bribie Island in QLD and was fortunate enough to buy some beautiful Ixora Prince of Orange topiarys a couple of years ago. I have moved and so has the little local garden centre I bought them from and I would dealy love some more for my next garden. Do you grow them this way please.
ReplyDeleteRegards
Ann Mackenzie
Hello Ann,
ReplyDeleteI have not seen Ixora grown as a standard. I am not sure where you would get this from
Hi Ian
ReplyDeleteI live in Balwyn VIC. Can you let me know where I can buy an Ixora coccinea?
Sincerely
Miriam Allison mallison62@hotmail.com
Well, we grow 'Prince of Orange' in the dry tropics on Magnetic Island, and each year it shoots up to monstrous proportions - 2 metre high is nothing. I brutally cut it back to about 80 cms each year, just so that the spectacle happens again next year. The beast grows in a garden bed below our elevated verandah, so the bright orange flower heads can be easily seen from above. A plant for the 'not so faint-heated gardener, stunning color, but the size...
ReplyDeleteI saw one on a news broadcast this week about to go under flood water in Rockhampton. Quite a sight in the tropics but a bit tame here.
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