Cultivation methods and precautions of Ixora

The Ixora is very ornamental, with flowers clustered in balls and mostly in light pink, red, orange-red, orange-yellow and light yellow. The leaves are verdant and the roots are vigorous, with a classical Chinese charm. Few people like to grow this kind of flower plant, so let's talk about the cultivation methods and precautions of the Ixora.

1. Soil

The soil for growing Ipomoea aquatica should be loose, breathable, and slightly acidic with good drainage. Use leaf mold, perlite particles, and garden soil in a ratio of 2:1:1.

2. Sunlight

The dragon boat flower prefers sunlight. When the temperature is above 30 degrees, it should be shaded by 50%. When the temperature is below 30 degrees, it can be given full sun. The dragon boat flower should not be placed in too much shade for maintenance, which will easily cause the dragon boat flower to have difficulty in blooming, the leaves to turn yellow, and the branches to grow too long.

3. Watering

The dragon boat flower likes moisture and is afraid of waterlogging. It is not drought-tolerant. Water it thoroughly before the soil in the pot is almost dry. The soil in the pot cannot be kept moist for a long time, which can easily cause root rot. However, when the temperature drops below ten degrees, you need to control the watering of the dragon boat flower. It must be completely dry before watering. You cannot water it thoroughly every time, only half-thick. Do not water it on rainy days or when the temperature is below zero, as this will cause frost damage to the dragon boat flower.

4. Pruning and fertilizing

Do not fertilize the Ixora when it is in bloom. Prune the Ixora after each flowering. Prune the withered flowers to prevent the consumption of nutrients of the plant. Do not over-prune the branches when pruning the Ixora. Just prune the diseased branches, dead branches, overgrown branches and weak branches. Fertilize in time after pruning the Ixora. Apply more potassium dihydrogen phosphate or compound fertilizer . Apply thin fertilizer instead of concentrated fertilizer. Apply once a week. Do not fertilize when there are flowers.

5. Temperature

The dragon boat flower likes warm weather and is afraid of cold weather. The suitable growth temperature for it is 15 to 25 degrees. If the temperature is below ten degrees, the dragon boat flower should be moved indoors for warming and maintenance. It should be placed in a sunny place indoors. If the temperature is above 32 degrees, it should be placed in a cool and ventilated place for maintenance.

6. Reproduction

The main propagation methods of Ixora are cuttings, layering and sowing. Generally, we use cuttings and layering methods for propagation. Cuttings of Ixora are usually carried out in late spring and early summer. Choose sturdy semi-woody branches and cut them to about 10 cm. Cut the lower end at an angle, remove excess leaves at the upper end, leave one or two leaves and cut half of them. If the leaves are too large and too many, they will compete for the moisture of the branches. If too much nutrients are lost, the cuttings will not be easy to take root. Choose loose, breathable and well-drained fertilizer-free soil, expose it to sunlight for sterilization and disinfection, then cut the branches and cut them into it, water them thoroughly, and place them in a cool and ventilated place for maintenance. They will take root and sprout in about 40 to 50 days. Layering propagation can be carried out in all seasons except winter. Choose a strong branch that can reach the ground, ring-bark the part with a width of about half a centimeter, press the peeled part to the ground and cover it with soil, and then maintain it normally. It will take root in about two months. If new roots grow out, wait until the roots are strong and you can cut it off from the mother branch and plant it in a separate pot for maintenance.

That’s it