Jungle Geranium: A Butterfly Delight
July 11, 2022
By Karen Maxwell, Horticultural Specialist
If I say, “Ixora,” what are you picturing? Today, we’ll explore how much more there is to this genus of a garden workhorse.
Rarely found outside of South Florida in the continental United States – except for in a cozy greenhouse – historical ledgers and correspondence indicate that in the early 1930s, Mina Edison planted “Flame of the Woods” on her property, here in Fort Myers. Other common names for Ixora coccinea* include Jungle Geranium, West Indian Jasmine, or Iron Tree but today it is popularly known by its genus Ixora and there are some additional species beyond I. coccinea worthy of consideration for your garden – especially if you want to attract butterflies.
Ixora is a single genus with more than 500 species. As with gardenias (last month’s article), Ixora is in the family of Rubiaceae which includes firebush, pentas, and mussenda and produces several economically important products such as coffee and something familiar to most new parents – ipecac. Most plants in this family are of a tropical or sub-tropical origin and all species of Ixora are native to the subtropical and tropical regions of the world, with the largest diversity found in Asia.
Honestly, Ixoras never excited me as a garden specimen until the day the Ixora pavetta* was swarming with every kind of butterfly one typically sees in South Florida – there were zebra longwings, giant swallowtails, gulf fritillaries, and monarchs. The frenetic activity was impossible to photograph with my cellphone, so I just watched. Until that day in April, this small tree had gone largely unnoticed by me, as it grows in the shade of the large Fiddleleaf ficus on the outskirts of our Contra Garden. Intensely fragrant, the large shrub or small tree produces small white flower clusters which appear insignificant compared to the brilliant red I. coccinea, “Super King” often seen in landscapes.
Perhaps you’ve missed it as well; its common name is “Torch Tree” or “Torchwood Tree.” Propagating I. pavetta from seed is a slow and arduous process, true for all Ixoras, so our horticultural department has started to produce new shrubs from hardwood cuttings. Walking through our nursery recently, a beautiful small butterfly caught my eye, hovering above a row of plants – landing on a new I. pavetta cutting bursting with a fresh bloom to source its next meal – the rare and endangered Atala Hairstreak butterfly landed and nectared for nearly ten minutes, which is an eternity for those who enjoy photographing butterflies.
I. pavetta is native to India and is very important in Ayurvedic medicine – a 3,000-year-old practice of homeopathic healing in India. Its leaves are said to have antiseptic properties and the flowers, roots and bark provide relief, so it is written, for many ailments. It is such an important tree in Bangladesh, that a piece of its hardwood is traditionally placed on a foundation stone when constructing a new home. A very slowgrowing shrub, we don’t really know how old our specimen is, but unlike most other Ixora species, it has done well in its shaded space and has a single bloom cycle, in the Spring. Listed as growing to 16’ tall, this largest of Ixora species is probably fully grown.
Historically, Ixora coccinea* was introduced as a filler plant on the outside of the original Moonlight Garden trellis, sometime between 1930-1936 as it bridged the connection of the native plants restricted to outside the walled garden with the collection of sub-tropical flowering plants prescribed inside the enclosure and surrounding the reflecting pool. The aggressive bougainvillea vines on the outside of the 10’ trellis left gaping holes at their bases, so it was recommended to Mrs. Mina Edison, that filling in these holes with Ixora coccinea would once again provide the privacy so enjoyed by her and her husband.
Today, only Ixora coccinea (Snowball*), a rare white hybrid that commands a beautiful piece of ground just outside the Northwest entrance grows at the Moonlight Garden. In addition to its bountiful white blossom heads, occasionally, one will catch a red sport from one of its parents.
Ixora coccinea typically grows to 12’ feet and flower colors include orange as in Maui; hot pink, Nora Grant, scarlet red Super King, yellow Sunset* and white Snowball. There are also many compact varieties which are hybrids of Ixora chinensis or Ixora taiwanensis and these remain under two feet.
With one exception, all ixoras require similar growing conditions. They are sun-lovers, and as natives of the tropical regions, they do not tolerate cold weather. A freeze will generally kill most ixoras, but I have experienced a total leaf drop with a freeze, and through ignorance or luck, left my mature hedge of Super King alone and the following spring, the hedge of bare sticks re-foliated.
Compact ixoras do well as container plants with the proper conditions. Just like their in-ground counterparts, they need a minimum of six hours of sun a day with the earlier sun preferred over the late, hot afternoon soon. Ixoras love water but should be allowed to dry out for the first couple of inches of soil before re-watering and always water well before and after feeding. Augment our lacking garden soil with regular feedings, and the Ixora coccinea or Ixora chinensis* will bloom almost year-round. These acid-loving plants companion well with gardenias and hibiscus. Should sooty mold appear on the leaves, the telltale sign of aphids or other sucking insects, give the plants a good washing with horticultural soap. This typically happens if plants are water stressed in the winter.
If you only have a shady garden space, there is an Ixora that prefers to be grown in those conditions, as it does in the Moonlight Garden and is a perfect addition for those wishing to have fragrant, white plants – the Ixora odorata* or Fragrant Ixora. This one is also a good specimen Ixora for a large container (grows to 4’) for those less than sunny corners, it will provide drama and fragrance, especially during the summer. It will also be happy with a little morning sun.
Throughout southern Florida, Ixora coccinea is frequently used as a hedge plant because they are generally evergreen, flower abundantly and take to pruning quite well if one desires a structured look to their hedge. Ixoras planted in zones 10a-9b should probably not be pruned in late fall or early winter to avoid exposing new growth to potential cold damage. Like many flowering shrubs, Ixoras that bloom only once a year, should only be shaped for structure after the bloom cycle is complete.
Summer is also a good time to see the rich jewel colors of our Plumeria Collection, located behind the research beds.
If you’d like to have some Ixoras for your landscape, stop by our Garden Shoppe for a nice selection.