This species is characterized by its medium-sized elliptic petiolate leaves, subsessile inflorescences that are subcapitate to shortly cymose, numerous rather well developed lanceolate inflorescence bracts, acute flower buds, and pink to red corollas with tubes 5.5-11 mm long and well developed acuminate lobes. The inflorescence bracts are 1.5-4 mm long, acute, and fused in pairs at the base The flowers are each enclosed by several pairs of bracts. The corollas are described on several labels as pink flushed with yellow, or creamy flushed with pink.

Ixora aluminicola is similar to Ixora davisii, which has elliptic to ovate obtuse bracts that are fused for up to half their length.