Scientific: Ixora coccinea (Synonym: Ixora fraseri, Ixora obovata, Pavetta coccinea)
Common: jungle geranium, flame of the woods, jungle flame, pendkuli, ixora
Family: Rosaceae
Origin: Southern India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
Pronounciation: X-OR-a cock-sin-EE-a
Hardiness zones
Sunset 12 (with protection)-24
USDA 9 (sometimes foliage in winter is damaged by cold)-11
Landscape Use: In Phoenix, jungle geranium is a serviceable and coloful shrub for many types of mesic and oasis design themes.
Form & Character: Rounded, clean, colorful, well behaved, vulnerable.
Growth Habit: Evergreen, broadleaf shrub, multi-branched, dense, commonly 2- to 12-ft tall (depending on cultivated selection) with an equal or greater spread. It has a rounded form, with a spread that may exceed its height.
Foliage/Texture: Glaborus, leathery, oblong green leaves to 4-inches long, margins entire, opposite or whorled arrangement leaves often yellow in Phoenix due to abiotic stress; medium texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Small tubular, orange to scarlet flowers in dense rounded clusters 2- to 5-inches wide; fruits insignificant.
Seasonal Color: Interesting and brilliant display of flowers throughout the year.
Temperature: Jungle geranium is frost intolerant and can be damaged by summer heat exceeding 115oF.
Light: Partial shade best, avoid full sun and especially hot, blazing western exposures, eastern exposures are best in Phoenix.
Soil: Prefers acidic to neutral soil pH, leaf interveinal chlorosis (yellowing) will typically develop in alkaline soils such as are common in Phoenix.
Watering: Needs regular water, especally during summer.
Pruning: Little, except to rarely use heading cuts to promote shape.
Propagation: Vegetative softwood cuttings are best.
Disease and Pests: None.
Additional comments: Jungle geranium is a surprisingly outstanding and serviceable landscape shrub in Phoenix, particularly in the more vegetated, mesic portions of the city.
There are many cultivated selections available. Some include:
