Plant profile: Jungle flame

Whether planted as hedging or a container plant, Ixora coccinea has many uses

If you need a plant that can withstand the warm climate while introducing a splash of colour, the Ixora coccinea, or jungle flame, will be of interest. This brightly coloured, dense, evergreen shrub is most common in South India and Sri Lanka, but has also become one of the most popular flowering shrubs in landscapes around South Florida. The shrub grows up to 1.2 to 2 metres high and has glossy, leathery leaves. In warmer climates, it’s typically used for hedges, screens and foundation plantings, massed in flowering beds or grown as a specimen shrub or small tree. That said, it grows best as a container plant and should be planted in slightly acidic soil with added compost and fertiliser.

It can easily be propagated from seed or semi-soft cuttings. Take stem cuttings of about 10 to 15 centimetres long and plant in a pot using free-draining potting compost. Place in partially shaded areas and keep lightly watered until it takes root in between four to six weeks.

The flowers, leaves, roots and stem have been used to treat a number of ailments in traditional Indian medicine. When ripe, its fruit can be eaten.

sdenman@thenational.ae