PALMS & IXORA Facts

COLORS

Rich, deep green

LIGHT

Direct sunlight (4 hours per day)

SOIL

WATER

Keep somewhat dry between thorough waterings.

pH

HARDINESS

USES

Decorative indoors and outdoors

TIP

PALMS & IXORA

Palms are tropical and subtropical plants that can be surprisingly hardy. They are good as houseplants because of their graceful appearance and because they tolerate several negative conditions: dry air, overheating, cold drafts and low light. All palms can tolerate shade, and young palms prefer it. As the younger plants mature they can be moved into an area with sun or partial shade. Some palms, however, can be kept in a shaded indoor environment their entire lives. The graceful fronds on palms are divided into leaflets. Some plants grow on a single stem while others have several stems branching off the base. There is a different kind of palm for most any area in your house.

Ixora plants are among a large group of tropical evergreen shrubs with robust foliage and clusters of star-shaped flowers of bright red and salmon. They can tolerate salt air and like fertile, well-drained, acid soil. Because they are susceptible to insect and disease, these plants are hard to keep healthy without constant vigilance.

There is a different kind of palm for most any area in your house.

FERTILIZING PALMS & IXORA

To pot a palm, supply a good potting soil with adequate drainage in a container that is not too large. Growth rates vary, but keeping palms in pots usually slows the growth of the faster-growing varieties. Fertilize potted palms often. Frequent washing provides humidity desired in dry environments, cleans the foliage and dislodges any insects present. For best results try Vigoro® Palm and Ixora granular fertilizer or spikes.

To grow Ixora plants, take cuttings in early spring and root in a damp mixture of equal parts of sand and peat moss with a constant bottom heat of 70°. These plants need shade and high humidity in summer but should be kept drier in winter months. Pinch out growing tips to promote bushiness and prune back when necessary.

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