Rough draft 9/13/2021
Intro
This beautiful eye catching trees name is pronounced ja·kr·an·duh. The first time I noticed this tree was when we were visiting our sons in California. I love looking up at the palm trees every chance I get when we are visiting California. One afternoon we were driving down a beautiful street and as we looked up, bright purp;le flowers caught my eye. Come to find out it was a Jacaranda Tree! This is a sub tropical tree that is native to Central and South America. The abundance of beautiful purple flowers on a true green fern like leafy tree is almost like no other tree that blooms for a little over a month twice a year. The exuberant violet blooms are visual near the end of April thru the beginning of June and again in October and November. In the United State these trees can be mainly found in parts of Hawaii, California, Texas, Florida, and Arizona.
Planting and Care
Planting and Sun
If you live in planting hardiness Zones 10 or 11 a Jacaranda tree can be yours. This tree is similar to palm trees because they prefer to be planted in sandy soil. Be sure to plant your tree and full sun, if it receives or is planted in a shady spot it will not produce the violet hued trumpet flowers. These trees grow quickly and the upper breances can grow out very wide. It usually takes 10 years but it could take 7-14 years before your tree blooms. That timeline is important to note if you start your tree from seed. If you plant a tree from a sapling, it could take 2-3 years before you see its first flowers while it becomes established. Tip when the flowers fall twice a year they become sticky and slippery. It can be a chore to clean up if they fall on a sidewalk, driveway or cars. Find a place where it is easy for the flowers to to be raked or mulch into the ground or grass.
Do Jacaranda Trees Need a lot of Water?
As a general rule of thumb, water your jacaranda tree when the top three inches of soil feels dry to the touch. The soil can be tested about a foot from the trunk of the tree. These trees need consistent moisture throughout the year and often require additional watering during periods of heat, high temperatures and / or dryness from warm winds. During the spring and summer months it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the moisture around the tree if it has been a dry spring. Jacaranda ‘s should be watered slowly and deeply once every two weeks. This can be done with a hose runnIng for about a half an hour. During winter months when the tree is considered dormant, water just once or twice. Be sure not to water at the base of the trunk but rather around the dripline where rain naturally falls from the outer branches.
Conclusion
When first spotted one may think they’ve just experienced a scene from something out of a wonderland, Grimms brothers, or a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. Yes, you can become just that awe struck. Many of us will not be able to grow this tree in our lifetime mainly because of the climate conditions of where we live. If you live and have the chance to own or grow this gorgeous tree, enjoy and think of the many people that stop to capture this beautiful moment in life.
Resource links
https://www.bhg.com/news/jacaranda-trees-blooming/
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/jacaranda/pruning-a-jacaranda-tree.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/jacaranda/jacaranda-tree-information.htm