It's a cold Sunday evening here and a good time to color your life with this stunning and vibrant color - Red, which is the color for the Lifescape Tribe Photography Contest Round 14: Colors Of Life.
I love nature, I love flowers, and one of my most favorite flowers is the Ixora also called "Jungle geranium or Flame of the Woods."
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Ixora (Ixora coccinea), are flowering shrubs known for their vibrant, long-lasting blooms, and has about 544 species. Ixora flowers come in a variety of colors - red, pink, orange, white, yellow, including mixed colors, like orange-red with a yellow center.
The red Ixora seem to be the most prominent of the Ixoras, as they can be found in almost every region, adding beauty and tropical elegance to gardens and landscapes. Well, I'm not in the least surprised because *red is a stunning, vibrant, versatile and dominant color.
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That's not all, they have a sweet, honey-like fragrance that attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. Red color sure knows how to attract. Lol.
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I have a fond memory with red Ixora flower. Growing up, our home space was bursting with different varieties of flowering plants, of which Ixora was one of them. This was courtesy of my dad, who would often bring these flowers from his numerous trips to plant them in our garden.
Back then, I'd often wait in anticipation of the Ixora blooms and would glee with excitement whenever I notice they're beginning to bloom. I'm sure you want to know why.
Well, the reason is simple - to indulge in its sweet, energy-rich nectar. 😅 Yes, I loved sucking the nectar from Ixora flowers. I'd pluck a handful, find a spot on our verandah, and gently remove the style from each one, to savor the sweet nectar within. Oh! what a sweet sensation it creates. Lol.
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It doesn't end there. After my moment of enjoyment, I'd make bracelets, earrings and hair crown from the Ixora stems.
Reminiscing about these fun activities with the Ixora flowers is making me want to relive them. Trying them out again would be fun, I can bet on that. 😂
Do you have any fond memory of the Ixora flower? I'd love to read them.
Thank you.
Author's Photos
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