Ixora is a southern exotic flower that is suitable for growingWith proper care and maintenance, he feels great at home in a pot and pleases the owner with unusual bright inflorescences. This is a rather rare plant, because it does not tolerate transportation well and can lose some of the leaves along the way. However, if it can be found in a flower shop, it can bloom almost all year round. Description of the plant and its varieties
All Ixora species belong to the Madinov family. They look like small shrubs with dense leaves of different shades of green. Their main decoration is bright inflorescences from 10 to 20 cm in diameter.
The flowers can be red, white, yellow, as well as the color of salmon caviar. At home, Ixora is grown bright red and Ixora Javanese. They are almost identical in appearance and requirements in the care. These two incredible species can only be distinguished by the shape of the sepals and the color of the inflorescences. In Iksory Javanese amazing bright red flowers, the tips of the petals are pointed.
These plants bloom all year round, but are particularly active during the rainy season. At home, you can create suitable climatic conditions for flowering.
Rules of planting and care
Photos of flowers Ixory look bright, and live this plant will decorate any interior. It is important to remember that a flower naturally grows in the tropics, so it is sensitive to temperature and watering. This is not a plant that feels good with an irregular care, with a lack of moisture and in the cold, it may die.
In summer, the plant can be moved to fresh air, but it does not tolerate freezing.
Temperature and lighting
When choosing a suitable place for Ixory, you should take into account that it does not tolerate temperature changes, but prefers well-lit places. It can be grown indoors or under lamps. Basic requirements for plant maintenance:
- daytime temperature - at least 20 degrees, heat, up to 30 degrees or more, it tolerates well;
- a large amount of sunlight, otherwise the leaves and flowers will be dim;
- air temperature in winter can drop to 15 degrees, but the flower should get used to it gradually.
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During the summer period, the pots can be taken out on the balcony or veranda, but only on the condition that no cooling is observed at night. Hardening the flower should be gradual - in the summer, put it on the window sill near the window leaf, which will constantly open. If it is grown under lamps, the distance from the light source to the top should be at least 15 cm.
The flower needs good lighting, some prefer to grow it under the lamp
Soil, fertilizing and watering mode
if the room is warm and light enough. This plant is suitable large pot, which is rounded down, and at the bottom there must be holes to remove excess moisture. Under the ground must put a special drainage - you can buy it in any store or use foam for this purpose.
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The composition of the soil is another requirement without which the flower cannot grow tall and healthy. Its environment should be slightly acidic, and the soil should be regularly loosened. Substrate for flower growth can be prepared at home from the following components:
- turf or garden land, which can be purchased at the store;
- sand;
- as a top dressing - humus, peat or compost.
The plant is watered regularly as soon as the topsoil begins to dry out. Suitable water at room temperature, settled for several days. It is also necessary to adjust the humidity of the air by spraying water from a spray bottle. It is also useful to purchase top dressings for ornamental plants and add them to the ground once every 2 weeks in the summer and 1 time per month - in the winter.
The main sign that the plant does not receive enough moisture is the falling of the lower leaves. They are not restored, so it is better to monitor the well-being of the flower constantly.
Propagation of a Flower
It is possible to propagate a plant all year round by grafting. To do this, after flowering, you need to cut a few shoots and put them in a container of water to take root. The first roots of Ixora are released after 1-2 weeks, and after 3 weeks they become strong enough for the flower to be transplanted into the ground. Organic fertilizers are immediately applied to the pot so that the plant will quickly stick. To accelerate the growth of roots on the shoots, you can use special store tools( Kornevin).
Some varieties of this plant can be grown to create miniature plants - bonsai
Ixora looks great in pots on a windowsill. Due to the fact that it prefers well-lit areas, it is not recommended to put it next to tall plants. The neighborhood for this flower is important because it will need to maintain high humidity around it. With proper care and regular watering appear large inflorescences with small multi-colored flowers. They can be different shades, but most varieties bloom red or yellow flowers. On sale you can find some varieties of this plant, in nature there are much more. This is due to transportation difficulties and the ability of varieties to adapt to the climate in foreign countries.
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