Its purple reign is brief, but you can celebrate this tree through all seasons of the year.
In springtime, the jacaranda is the belle of the ball, its gorgeous ruffles and flounces of flowers appearing as though on a long, billowing skirt. In late summer, you can appreciate the cool shade offered by the dense, fern-like foliage and imagine the leaves turning yellow before they fall in late winter – just as the spring greenery emerges on your deciduous trees.
Then, for a few brief weeks before the flowers appear, the tree’s twisted, gnarly limbs are exposed to reveal a beautiful, sculptural silhouette.
Delight in the large panicles of tubular flowers in deep blue to deep purple – or white – that appear in your streets from October to December.
Boulevards of jacarandas become rivers of petals running through your suburb when the flowers rain.
Jacarandas grow to about 15m and are just as wide, so aren’t suitable for very small gardens.
How to grow jacarandas
- Plant in rich, well-drained soil in a sunny spot with protection from winds.
- Water the soil around it regularly in summer.
- Don’t prune, because this will promote vertical growth that will destroy the magnificent, spreading, dome-like canopy.
- It thrives in tropical and warm, temperate areas.
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