Ixora ‘Coral Malay’

Ixora 'Coral Malay' (Ixora coccinea 'Coral Malay') is a compact tropical shrub that carries rounded heads of coral flowers, blending orange and pink, above glossy foliage for most of the warm season. It grows to about 1.2m tall and 1m wide, which makes it the right scale for low hedges, borders and pots in frost free gardens. Where summers are hot and humid, few small shrubs flower harder for less effort.

Why you'll love it

• Months of colour, not weeks. Flower heads keep coming in flushes through the warm months, each one lasting well on the bush.
• A naturally tidy shape. At about 1.2m by 1m it stays compact and dense with only light trimming, so a hedge of it never becomes a chore.
• Built for hard sites. Heat, humidity and coastal salt all suit it, which is why it features in so many beachside gardens across the north.
• Wildlife works the flowers. Bees, butterflies and nectar feeding birds all visit through the flowering season.
• Low maintenance once settled. Beyond water in dry spells and an occasional trim, it asks for very little.

Where it works best

Low hedges and borders. Plant 60cm apart for a dense hedge under a metre, edging a path, driveway or pool surround. It takes clipping well and flowers on the new growth that follows.

Mass planting. The same 60cm spacing in blocks gives a carpet of colour that reads from a distance and suppresses weeds once closed over.

Pots and containers. A single plant fills a 400mm to 500mm pot with glossy foliage and repeat colour, ideal for warm patios and balconies.

Growing Ixora 'Coral Malay' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade, with the heaviest flowering in sun. It is at home in tropical and subtropical gardens and succeeds in warm temperate areas in a warm, frost free position. It is frost tender, so cold districts should grow it in a pot that winters under cover.

Soil. Slightly acidic, free draining soil enriched with compost. In strongly alkaline soils the foliage yellows between the veins, so keep the bed mulched with organic matter and feed accordingly.

Water and feed. Steady moisture through the warm months keeps the flushes coming, though established plants cope with short dry spells. Feed in spring and again in midsummer with a fertiliser suited to acid loving plants.

Pruning. Tip prune or lightly trim after each flower flush to keep the shape tight. Any harder shaping is best done in spring as the weather warms.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Ixora 'Coral Malay' as tube stock and in 200mm pots in packs of 6. Tubes are small, well rooted starters that establish quickly in warm soil and suit patient hedging on a budget, while the 200mm packs plant out as an instant low border. Expect flowering to begin in earnest once plants settle in, from their first proper warm season.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• All about growing ixora in Australia
• More plants for tropical climates
• See the golden flowered Ixora 'Gold Malay'
• Compare our best hedging plants

Common questions

How cold is too cold for it?

It is frost tender, so any garden that sees regular frost is outside its comfort zone. In warm temperate areas give it a sheltered, sunny wall. Further south, grow it in a pot and bring it under cover for winter.

How far apart should I plant a hedge?

Plant 60cm apart in a single row. The plants close into a continuous low hedge within a couple of warm seasons and hold their line with a light trim after each flush.

When does it flower?

In repeated flushes through the warm months, typically from late spring until the weather cools. In the tropics the season stretches longer still.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

Most often the soil is too alkaline, which locks up iron. Mulch with organic matter, feed with a fertiliser for acid loving plants, and new growth should return to deep green.