When someone asks me to suggest a low-maintenance flowering plant to grow in Florida, Ixora is the first plant that comes to mind. Ixora can tolerate both heat and humidity. This is why this is a suitable plant to grow in Central and South Florida.
With a little extra care, we can also grow it in North Florida.
This guide will help you to grow a healthy and nice ixora plant.
I will cover these in this article:
- Ixora suitable varieties to grow in Florida
- Planting Guide ( Where to plant and when to plant )
- Pruning
- Fertilization
- Pictures of the Ixora plant flowers from my garden.
Best Ixora varieties to grow in Florida
Almost all the Ixora varieties will perform well in South and Central Florida. But if you are from North Florida, go for Maui Red. It can tolerate cold better than most of the other ixora varieties.
Most of the varieties I will be mentioning grow well in Zone 10 and Zone 11. Maui Red can do well in Zone 9 too.
I have grown both dwarf ixora and regular ixora. I usually prefer growing dwarf Ixora along borders, walkways, or as low hedges.
| Ixora Variety | Flower Color | Max Height | Best for Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nora Grant | Rose-pink | 4–5 ft | South & Central Florida |
| Super King Red | Bright red | 6–8 ft | South Florida |
| Sunset (Prince of Orange) | Orange-salmon | 4–6 ft | South & Central Florida |
| Fraseri | Scarlet red | 8–10 ft | South Florida |
| Maui Red | Deep red | 4–5 ft | Central & North Florida (cold-tolerant) |
I will not talk much about dwarf ixora in this article, as I will create a separate dedicated article on Dwarf Ixora. ( Can be used as a hedge plant )
If you look closely, you'll notice that some flowers are a deep orange while others are lighter. Over time, the color deepens.
Note: This orange one might look like Ixora, but it's actually a tree, not a shrub. It is Ixora Ashoka.
You can use this flowering plant in different types of landscapes.
Here, I have used it on the rocky landscape.
Planting Guide for Ixora
A lot of doubts should be cleared before you start planting your Ixora plant.
- When to plant
- Where to plant
- Soil type we need for our Ixora plant
- Sunlight requirement
- Best fertilizer
- Pruning
I have been growing the Ixora plant for more than 10 years and have tried various experiments with this plant.
Want to grow more flowering plants? Check this list: Best flowering plants to grow in Florida - With pictures
When to plant Ixora in Florida
In warm parts of Florida, we can plant it any time of the year.
We just need to make sure that the soil is not cold. Warm soil is good for spreading roots.
The table below shows the best time to plant Ixora in Florida (based on region)
| Florida Region | Recommended Planting Time for Ixora Plant |
|---|---|
| South Florida | Year-round (Best: March to October) |
| Central Florida | March to October |
| North Florida | April to September |
If you are from Central Florida or North Florida, follow the planting times mentioned in the above chart.
Choose a sunny spot in your garden.
Almost every flowering plant needs a good amount of direct sunlight, and Ixora is not an exception.
Florida's soil is alkaline type and Ixora needs slightly acidic soil. Don't worry, here's what you can do:
Mix sulfur or peat moss with your regular garden soil, and your soil is ready to plant ixora. If you notice yellow leaves, add more peat moss.
You may also grow it in a medium-sized pot.
14-18 inches pot will be ideal.
Water it regularly for the first month only. This is enough time to establish your plant. Now you can water the Ixora plant only when the soil is dry.
No need to keep the soil moist always.
Best fertilizer for the Ixora plant
As Ixora loves slightly acidic soil, use acid-loving, slow-releasing, balanced fertilizer.
Use 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 fertilizer (This is the NPK ratio). You may ask in the local stores for it.
For Florida's sandy soil, the best option is to use Osmocote 14-14-14.
I prefer using organic fertilizer on my edible plants, but Ixora is not edible, thus chemical fertilizers are good to go.
If you are serious about soil health, avoid chemical fertilizers and use bone meal, fish emulsion, and compost tea.
No external fertilizer is better than overfeeding.
Feed your Ixora plant every two to three months during the growing season.
Note: Do not fertilize the ixora plant on winter days. Water before and after fertilizing.
Due to over-fertilization, you may notice brown leaves. There might be some other reasons too. Have a look at this guide: Brown leaves on ixora plant - what to do?
When and how to prune the Ixora plant in Florida
Ixora can tolerate pruning better than most of the other flowering plants.
This is why we can use Ixora as a hedge plant.
The best time to trim or prune Ixora in Florida is February to March (before the new growth).
There are different stages of pruning for an Ixora plant. If you never prune your plant, it might look like this:
Without proper pruning, they will grow tall instead of a bushy shape.
| Pruning Type | Best Time | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Shaping & Thinning | Late Winter to Early Spring (Feb–Mar) | It will help to develop healthy branches |
| Deadheading | Throughout Blooming Season | Increase flowering |
| Light Trimming | After Each Bloom Flush | Maintains size and shape without stress |
| Hard Pruning | Spring Only (if needed) | Revives overgrown or leggy plants |
First of all, remove dead and damaged branches.
Trim outer growth to maintain good shape.
If you notice the inner portion is too dense, thin it out.
In early spring, you may go for hard pruning. That means you can reduce plant size by up to one-third.
Here are some pictures of my Ixora flower:
Ixora Flowers
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