One of the most widely seen flowers in Salt Lake, the Rangan, happens to be the national flower of Sri Lanka. Native to southeast Asia, the Rangan, or Ixora, is a genus of over 500 species in the coffee family. Ixora is also known as jungle geranium, flame of the woods, iron tree, jungle flame, West Indian jasmine, lipstick plant, golden shower tree, and the jewel of the east.
The Rangan is a tropical to semitropical evergreen shrub that grows well in warm, moist climates. This sun-loving shrub bears clusters of tubular flowers. It grows in a bushy, rounded form with 4-inch long, glossy, dark evergreen leaves and summer blooms of four-petaled flowers in 5-inch wide cymes (an inflorescence in which each floral axis terminates in a single flower that blooms first).
It grows as a small shrub with large clusters of red, yellow, white, pink and in many variations of colours. The fruits are round.
In maturity they may grow eight to 10 feet high and five to eight feet wide. The dwarf Ixora plants are tropical by nature so they need plenty of heat and humidity in order to thrive.
Right conditions
A soil mixture that is peat-based and rich in organic material is required for a healthy Ixora. This plant loves soil that has a slightly acidic pH level (5.5 to 6.5). pH level above 7 can cause the plant to have dry foliage colour.
Ixoras love being kept consistently moist. Water them often as per the conditions at home. The soil should never be allowed to dry out. You can also spritz the plant daily with water to increase humidity. Reduce watering in monsoon and colder months. A Arijit Poddar, a GD Block resident and secretary of the Bidhannagar Horticultural Society, shares tips on gardening National flower of Sri Lanka warm, moist environment is key for a healthy Rangan plant.
Temperatures should be kept above 20 degrees Celsius at all times. Ixoras like bright light so keep them somewhere in your home where they can get at least eight hours of sunlight a day. Keep them away from harsh direct rays in summer.
Feed your Ixora a mixture of vermicompost, bone dust, superphosphate and DAP every month. Apply liquid fertiliser during its growing season. Systematic fertilisation will boost the chances of your plant flowering profusely.
Rangan flowers bloom on new growth so pruning is a great way to increase the blooms on the plants. Prune them after they bloom. Ixora plants tolerate pruning well and can be trimmed by several inches.
Propagation
To propagate Ixora plant, cuttings and grafting are the best methods. Rooting Ixoras is difficult so use rooting hormone and constant moisture for success. Sometimes Ixora flowers produce dark purple berries with seeds. We can use any of these, clean the pulp off the seeds and soak overnight.
Take a small pot with 50 per cent coarse sand and 50 per cent vermicompost/ well matured cow manure. Mix together and plant the seeds, watering well. Cover with a plastic bag over the pot to retain moisture. Place the plant in a warm area with moderate light, moving it into bright light and removing the bag as soon as the seeds germinate.
Ixora plants are prone to infestation by aphids and scale insects. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray to control the pests. Iron and manganese deficiency causes dark spots on Ixora leaves. Spray micronutrient on the leaves directly.