The jacaranda blooms for eight weeks or more.
The jacaranda is a deciduous tree grown for its delicate, fernlike foliage and brilliant purple blossoms that cover the tree in the spring and summer. Often multitrunked, this decorative landscape tree reaches 25 to 40 feet high and wide, making an impressive statement in the garden. Does this Spark an idea?
Description
Known botanically as Jacaranda mimosifolia and J. acutifolia, the jacaranda has finely cut, feathery foliage and attractive gray bark. Jacaranda blooms are trumpet-shaped and appear in 8-inch-long clusters at branch tips. The tree produces flat, podlike seed capsules after flowering. Most jacaranda flowers are lavender, although the cultivar Alba produces white blooms.
Climate
The jacaranda is a tropical plant native to the Amazon River Basin countries of Argentina, Brazil and Peru. The tree grows in areas of the United States that experience little to no freezing temperatures. Young trees die back when temperatures dip below 26 degrees Fahrenheit, while mature jacarandas with some hardwood can stand up to short periods of below-freezing temperatures.
Uses
The jacaranda works well as a street tree where passersby can admire its floral display. The tree also provides effective shade for a patio and looks attractive reflected in water, although falling flowers may create a nuisance when the tree is placed near a pool. The jacaranda's seed pods are often used in dried arrangements.
Cultural Requirements
The jacaranda tree blooms the best when grown in full sun in a warm location. The tree tolerates light shade. Insufficient light and inadequate heat causes poor flowering and weak growth. Jacaranda grows in nearly any type of soil but does best in well-draining, sandy conditions. Water jacaranda every two weeks in the absence of rainfall during the growing season and twice during the tree's dormant period. Jacaranda flowers best in soil that is low in nutrients and for this reason rarely requires fertilizer. The tree responds poorly to ocean winds and salty soil. Young trees require pruning to attain a pleasing shape. Mature trees only need trimming when limbs become cumbersome and block pathways.
Disease
Jacaranda trees are generally healthy but occasionally fall victim to potentially fatal diseases such as mushroom root rot. Scientifically known as Armillaria root disease, this fungal disease is common in tropical and temperate areas of the world. The fungus infects roots and mushrooms appear at the base of the jacaranda tree, usually in late summer or early fall. Chemical treatments are available for the condition, which well-drained soil will help prevent.
Tags: jacaranda tree, Young trees