Grace—blooming in drifts of an impossible iridescence is far too beautiful to be looked upon as anything but supernatural. Yet, there it is, the Jacaranda Tree — a jewel in the landscape. And where did that colour come from? Fortunate the street whose edges are lined with such as these, for it is far too mundane for such a elegance, wouldn’t you agree?
Origins
The Jacaranda Tree is native to Brazil and finds an easy home in Australia. It carries with it the legend as a “Tree of Knowledge,” leaving off any “good or evil” branches. Its name is Portuguese, meaning “hard core,” perhaps because the trunk and branches are somewhat brittle. Its shade is much anticipated on toward summer. Even the shade has a legend: In the shade of the Jacaranda, the wise women of the village stood to dispense justice, a story suggesting that its shade became a valuable tool for maintaining order within the community. Colors of the Jacaranda Tree are varied, but highly valued is the blue-violet end of the spectrum that captivates and seems so unearthly.
Rare in Design
One Jacaranda Tree, en solo, is more than enough to saturate any setting with loveliness. The shape alone is full, rich and wide-eyed—belonging in the center—the focus of any design. Give the Jacaranda Tree a place to be and it owns it, deserving the accolades of an entourage, with no choice but to live in its shadow. The combination of bloom and foliage is truly a wonder, particularly when viewing it from afar as a rich cloud of gentility. The foliage is delicate and fern-like, a trumpet shaped bloom, with its faint scent of honey.
As a tribute to its beauty, placement is critical
How pleasant to have planted the Jacaranda Tree as a youngster, nurtured it, protected it and ended up with a setting like this for your home. Well worth all the effort, once grown and mature, it is a fairly hardy species. With only an occasional feeding, or perhaps an extra watering during periods of drought, it will only get stronger, putting down deep roots.
The blossoms make somewhat of a sticky mass when they fall on things like vehicles. Therefore, it would make sense to locate the tree where that won’t be a problem. The location should be free to present a beautiful blue-violet carpet under the tree, permitting continued enjoyment, post bloom.
They are somewhat susceptible to winds and keeping them supported, if high winds are expected, is certainly worth the effort. Eventually, when they reach their full height, they can handle adversity on their own.
The Jacaranda Tree is a celebrated tree—almost more so than the national tree. Lining the streets in many Australian cities (with no complaints from motorists) it seems to have a message all its own, welcoming visitors to drink in its radiance and be refreshed with its sweet perfume. Jacaranda honors Australia as its jewel in the landscape.