Saturday, October 31, 2009

RJ's Jacaranda

Jacaranda in flower now

The largest and best Jacaranda in the district lives behind a discount art and craft supply store, growing in the parking lot surrounded by asphalt and squeezed between the metal bars of an old fence. Despite the inhospitable site it puts on a great floral display every year.
The Jacaranda from Brazil is a popular tree but often is planted in suburban gardens where it has to compete for light from other trees. It needs lots of space and room to develop a large rounded crown. It does not take well to pruning either as cutting into the crown to reduce the height results in a new set of vertical branches which are out of balance with the trunk.
It is an excellent avenue tree where there are no power lines and where the climate is a warm temperate one. The blue mauve flowers appear any time from mid October shortly after the leaves have fallen . Fluctuations of temperature such a warm September causes new leaves to grow at the same time as the flowers which diminishes the overall floral display somewhat.The New South Wales City of Grafton is well known for its Jacaranda trees and for the festival to celebrate the trees contribution to the landscape.
2017 update:This tree was removed to make way for a housing development.




1 comment:

  1. This jacaranda tree just goes to show that something beautiful can grow anywhere. Just give it good light, some water and let it alone. Ian,the color is magnificent!

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