Jungle Flame
Ixora coccinea L.
Location
Other Plants
Family
Rubiaceae
Common names
Jungle Flame, Flame of the Woods, Jungle Geranium, Santan
Native range
Southern India and Sri Lanka
Habitat
Tropical and subtropical gardens, forest edges, and scrublands
Flowering
Year-round.
Fruiting
Year-round.
Conservation status
Not threatened; widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide
About this plant
Ixora coccinea is a dense, evergreen shrub growing up to 1–2 metres in height, though it can occasionally reach 4–5 metres under favourable conditions. Leaves are simple, opposite, oblong to elliptic, glossy dark green, and leathery with entire margins. Flowers are small, tubular, and brightly coloured—commonly red, but also pink, orange, or yellow—borne in dense, rounded terminal clusters (corymbs or umbels). The plant produces small, glossy, dark berries containing tiny seeds.
Uses
Ornamental: Widely cultivated for its bright, showy flowers in gardens, parks, and hedges. Medicinal: Leaves, flowers, and roots are used in traditional medicine for treating dysentery, skin diseases, fever, and wounds. Flower extracts have mild antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Other uses: Sometimes used for floral decorations and religious offerings.
Growing conditions
Thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained, fertile soils rich in organic matter. Requires regular watering, especially during dry periods, but does not tolerate waterlogging. Responds well to pruning to maintain shape and encourage dense flowering
Habit
Evergreen shrub