Of the 300 or so Ixora species, just a couple produce fragrant flowers. One is the torch tree (Ixora pavetta) from India, while the other is jungle geranium (I. odorata), a 3-to-6-foot shrub from Madagascar that’s increasingly available from online sources. Jungle geranium (not related to actual geraniums) bears 4-to-6-inch flower heads composed of hundreds of star-shaped florets. The white flowers, which age to yellow, are held on long golden or reddish stalks.
Jungle geraniums, which bloom intermittently much of the year, are native to the dappled light of woodlands and thus grow best in light or moderate shade during the midday hours. Like all Ixoras, this plant requires organically enriched and mulched sites to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Although jungle geranium is considered less susceptible to cold damage than other Ixoras, sites in sheltered locations shielded from north and northwest winds are preferred. Propagate with warm-season cuttings.
Tropical strawberry tree delights children
If there was ever a tree for children, the strawberry tree — native from Mexico to Bolivia — is it. Also called calabura and Jamaican cherry, this evergreen species (Muntingia calabura) grows up to 25 feet tall and bears a multitude of small but tasty fruit that mature to strawberry red and are loved by youngsters. Delicious eaten fresh, the fruits are also popular throughout the Tropics for making preserves and teas. A fast-growing species for sunny, well-drained sites, the strawberry tree forms an expansive canopy that provides delightful shade. Unfortunately, it’s a relatively short-lived tree that’s susceptible to wind damage, so it’s best installed away from buildings. Also recommended is periodic pruning of branches to prevent them from becoming excessively long and heavy. Propagate by seeds. Seedlings are widely available online.
Beware of bleach
Although it can be added to water and used to sterilize tools, bleach is a powerful herbicide that gardeners should generally avoid. Innumerable plants have been damaged because homeowners and pressure-washing businesses used bleach to clean vinyl and aluminum siding, so be wary. A very small quantity of bleach probably isn’t harmful, at least if it’s quickly rinsed off and diluted with plenty of water. I’ve been told, however, that if you can smell beach, too much is being used.
Annual decisions
Have those swiveling racks of seed packets ever tempted you to try annuals you’ve never grown? Well, spring is around the corner, so go ahead and be adventurous. Here are some you can succeed with this spring: Common cosmos and yellow cosmos are tall-growing plants up to 8 feet, though much smaller varieties are available. Offered in a range of flower types and colors, cosmos grows well on sunny, sandy sites and can be massed in beds or used to add color between shrubs. Other annuals for spring planting include strawflower, browalia, gomphrena, amaranthus and spider flower.
Charles Reynolds, a Winter Haven resident, has an associate’s degree in horticulture and is a member of Garden Writers Association of America.