Jacaranda Trees in Bloom: My Photos

During the week when I moved into my new home, the jacarandas in the park outside went into full bloom. There was a strange overcast day, then the sun came out:



It was love at first sight.

Mature jacarandas (aka "blue jacarandas," Jacaranda mimosafolia) are about 40-50 feet tall with gray bark, blooming with bunches of trumpet-shaped purple flowers from the beginning of May through June. California's jacarandas sometimes bloom again in the fall. They have delicate sprays of small green leaves somewhat like mimosa trees, dropping them in the winter. In late summer the flowers are replaced by large papery, woody seed-pods that often hang on for a year or two.

These subtropical trees can be sprouted in containers and pots, but they will eventually need lots of room, as they tend to spread. Mature trees bloom best with plenty of sun. You can easily sprout them from seed, but this excellent Jacaranda Tree Growers Guide recommends grafting. There seems to be some disagreement about whether or not to prune; the beautiful trees next to my condo have not been pruned that I can see.

The main problem with jacarandas (which I don't think is much of a problem) is that they tend to litter the ground with flowers, which are a little sticky; some people complain of the smell when they rot. Don't plant jacarandas over a pool; they'll clog your drains. They can also be messy over sidewalks.

The introduction of Southern California's Jacarandas from Argentina/Bolivia is credited to Kate Sessions, "Mother of Balboa Park" in San Diego, where the purple trees adorn many avenues. In fact, jacaranda is the official tree of San Diego.

Fun Jacaranda trivia: the chorus of a popular Australian Christmas song says, "When the bloom of the Jackaranda tree is here, Christmas time is near." Yep, they've got a lot of Jacarandas down under. They are also popular trees in South Africa and Israel. As you can tell, they flourish in hot, dry climates.

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(This photo and all photos on this page © Ellen Brundige unless otherwise noted)