Ixora maybe dying due to nutrient deficiency caused by a pH higher than 5. Pests like Aphids, Mealybugs, Root weevils and Spider mites also infest Ixora plant.
Ixora is a group of 500+ species that are flowering shrubs and trees. Ixora is suitable in the US Zones 9 and above.
Ixora plant is grown for its colorful blossoms that come in tufts. The flowers come in pink and peach colors.
Ixora is an attention grabbing plant that can be grown indoors. Ixora does run into some problems if one doesn’t care well enough.
Why are my Ixora leaves turning brown?
Ixora leaves turn brown when they are unable to absorb macro-nutrients like Phosphorous and Potassium. Ixora leaves also turn brown when the plant is infected fungal leaf spot disease.
Fungal diseases
Leaf spot diseases can be caused by various fungi in Ixora plant. Get your Ixora tested if you are unsure whether your plant is infected by fungi.
Fungal leaf spot disease is seen on Ixora that has been watered overhead. Wet leaves harbor various types of fungi.
Stop watering your Ixora from above to prevent a fungal infection. Water your Ixora at the base of the plant.
Fungal leaf spot disease in Ixora is not fatal though. The plant will recover if you care well for it like usual.
Nutrient Deficiency
You’ll see purplish brown spots on the leaves of your Ixora if the plant lacks macro-nutrients such as Potassium and Phosphorous.
Macro-nutrient intake maybe inhibited due to various reasons. Low pH is the common reason for this. Low temperature also inhibits the intake of K and P.
This is why the purplish brown spots are seen mainly in the winter season. You need to amend the soil if you want to fix the issue.
How do I make soil acidic for Ixora?
Adding coffee grounds, pine straw, cotton seed meal or sulfur to the soil works wonders to raise the pH. Do this a couple of times in a year.
Alternatively, you can add fertilizer to the soil to increase the soil Potassium and Phosphorous levels.
Epsom salt for Ixora
Adding Epsom salt with potash(Epsoma Epsom Plus) to the soil increases the Potassium content in the soil.
Why are my Ixora leaves turning yellow
Ixora leaves turn yellow due to Chlorosis, which happens due to a lack of Iron and Manganese. Ixora leaves also turn yellow due to Aphid and Spider mite infestations.
Yellowing in Ixora
Yellowing of the leaves in Ixora is due to a lack of essential nutrients. Ixora thrives in acidic soils with a pH around 5.
High pH soils inhibit the absorption of Iron and Manganese by Ixora plants. This lowers the level of Iron and Manganese in Ixora, leading to Chlorosis.
Chlorosis is a condition in which the leaves of the affected plant turn yellow. This is usually observed in new leaves.
You can increase Manganese levels in the soil by growing legumes near your Ixora. Adding Iron chelate helps too.
Adding ‘High-Yield Iron Plus Soil Acidifier’ according to the instructions improves the Iron and Manganese content in the soil.
Aphid infestation in Ixora
Aphids are tiny insects that are spread from one plant to another by ants. So, you can control aphid infestation if you control ants.
Aphids suck the plant sap out of Ixora via leaves of the plant. Their feeding habits cause yellowing in the foliage of Ixora.
Aphid infestation causes leaf curling and distortion in Ixora plants. Aphids then hide in the curled leaves. Aphid infestation is not that harmful to your Ixora.
It is however a cosmetic problem. You may want to get rid of aphids as soon as possible. Cut off the affected leaves as soon as you see them.
Spraying the affected plants/plant parts with Neem oil helps too. Insecticidal spray works on Ixora too.
Spider mite infestation in Ixora
Spider mites are common insect pests of many indoor/garden plants. Spider mite infestation can be confirmed by the presence of webbing.
Initially small, yellow spots are seen on the infected Ixora’s leaves. Eventually the entire leaves of your Ixora plant turn yellow.
Spider mite infestation is not a big deal. You can cut off the affected leaves if the infestation is in the early stage.
Spray Neem oil on the affected parts of the plant to get rid of spider mites. Spraying the affected Ixora with insecticidal spray works well too.
Why are my Ixora not blooming?
Ixora doesn’t bloom when the soil pH is below 5. Ixora also fails to bloom when the plant gets less water than needed. Ixora fails to bloom when the plant doesn’t get adequate sunlight.
Soil pH
Soil pH is another factor that influences blooming in Ixora plants. Ideal pH for Ixora is 5 which means Ixora thrives in acidic soil.
If the pH is above this the plant won’t blossom. Get the soil tested and if pH is the reason you might want to amend the soil.
Add coffee grounds, sulfur, cotton seed meal or pine straw to the soil to make it acidic.
Water
Ixora needs a lot of water in the growing season. Do not let the soil go bone dry in between the watering sessions.
Check the soil with your fingers and water the plant if the soil is dry up to two inches below the surface. Get a moisture meter if possible.
Sunlight
Ixora plant fails to bloom if it gets too much direct sunlight through out the day. Ixora needs to be placed in a place where it gets indirect sunlight.
Does Ixora like full sun?
If you can’t move your Ixora shade the plant artificially. Sunlight is essential so make sure your Ixora gets half a day of sunlight.
Ixora also doesn’t bloom when it gets less sunlight than required. Confirm the reason and then you can act accordingly.
Why is my Ixora dropping leaves?
Ixora is dropping leaves due to the cold temperatures. This usually happens in the winter season. This is a part of the plant’s lifecycle and you need not panic.
This situation arises when the plant is experiencing winter stress. Amateur gardeners panic and overwater the plant in these situations.
Don’t do this. Give the plant some time and it’ll recover fine. Dwarf red can take even the coldest winters, so plant it if you don’t want to run into this issue.
What is eating my Ixora?
Mealybugs and Root Weevils love to eat the leaves of Ixora plant. A pupal form of Root Weevil is the one that likes to devour the leaves of Ixora.
Ixora leaves turning black
Ixora leaves turn black due to aphid or mealybug infestation.
Mealybugs are tiny, wax-covered, white-colored insects that suck out plant sap and excrete sticky honeydew. Honeydew attracts several fungi to transform into sooty mold.
Mealybugs are often seen on the leaves in groups. Mealybugs are the common pests of Ixora plant.
One can get rid of Mealybugs by wiping them with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. Try to cover all the hard to reach places.
You can also spray Orthene on the infested parts of your Ixora. Doing this one or two times with 10 days gap is suggested.
Root weevil infestation
Root Weevils are insect pests that devour the roots of your Ixora. Larval forms feed on the roots while evolved forms feed on the leaves.
You may want to stick a PVC tape around your Ixora stem. Cover this PVC tape in the sticky insect barrier glue to protect your Ixora from Root weevils.
Beneficial nematodes can be introduced to control weevil infestation. Make sure the soil is wet when introducing nematodes so they can move around easily.
Happy Growing 🙂