In May and June, many areas of San Diego are dressed in a blaze of brilliant lilac-blue color ” compliments of the many jacaranda trees that have been planted here over the years. A native of the high, dry areas of Brazil and Northwestern Argentina, the jacaranda is very much at home in our Southern California climate. Many other countries throughout the world have adopted this beautiful ornamental tree, and areas of Australia and South Africa are known for their breathtaking displays of thousands of jacarandas that attract tourists each year.
The first time I noticed this beautiful tree was on Maui. It was spring and the jacaranda trees looked as if they were lavender clouds floating along the winding road leading to the top of the Haleakula crater. When we moved to San Diego from Hawaii in the early ’70s, I was pleased to see a beautiful jacaranda on the corner of Foothills Boulevard and Opal Street in Pacific Beach. Each year, I make a point of driving past this particularly large tree to admire its perfect form and brilliant color.
There are more than 50 different species in the jacaranda family, with Jacaranda mimosiflora being the most widely planted and admired of the group. Because of its shallow root structure, the jacaranda is often chosen to line streets since its growing nature will not pull up the concrete. The City of San Diego has chosen the jacaranda as a suitable tree to plant along our boulevards, in our parks and other public settings. In 2000, the jacaranda became the official (non-native) tree of San Diego due to the efforts of Village Garden Club of La Jolla member Donna Derrick.
J. mimosifloria is a fast-growing tree that thrives in fertile, well-drained, sunny areas and requires moderate watering. If the tree receives too much water, the leaves will appear before the blossoms, and you will not have the usual “showy” display of flowers. Along the coast, these trees need protection from our damp, cool winds, while in other areas of the county they require protection from frost in their early years. The tree is deciduous and will lose all of its leaves in the winter.
The clusters of lilac-blue, trumpet-shaped flowers appear in late spring on the tree’s bare grayish-brown branches, creating a striking contrast in color. Before the tree’s full foliage appears, the flowers fall to the ground, forming a velvety blanket of blue. By mid-summer, the tree will be covered with fernlike green foliage that provides filtered sunlight. Later in the season, leathery seedpods will appear where the flowers once bloomed.
Jacaranda trees can be used to grace many different styles of gardens and architecture. They can be found on the grounds of the Getty Center, accenting the stark, white contemporary architecture. In sharp contrast, I have also seen them beautifully complement settings that are more traditional. Another favorite jacaranda tree of mine stands proud in the gardens surrounding a Spanish Colonial home. The garden also features flowers in colors of vivid orange and yellow, and they perfectly complement the Mediterranean feeling of the home. A few years ago, on the Mission Hills Garden Walk, a towering jacaranda tree bloomed on cue and was one of the tour’s highlights. Rising out of a canyon, it majestically spread its purple-blue braches like a giant canopy, giving shelter to the Zen-inspired gardens below it.
With the right planning, jacarandas can fit into almost any landscape plan and color scheme. I have checked with my friends at Green Gardens Nursery in Pacific Beach and found that jacaranda trees can be special-ordered in a variety of sizes. If you are contemplating adding one to your garden, they can guide you about how it should be planted. While all deciduous trees require some clean-up and thought before planting, I have always been fond of them, especially the blooming varieties, since they create the feeling of a “change of season” in a garden.
The Village Garden Club has a wonderful program that will plant a jacaranda tree in honor of someone special. Now in its 20th year, the club’s program was started by late member Sylvia Simpson Coleman in 1986. Coleman dreamed of San Diego becoming the jacaranda tree capital of the United States ” and because of the club’s continued efforts, her dream is coming true.
Pat Miller currently oversees the project for the garden club and feels that by planting these memorable trees you will have a gift that keeps on giving and growing while reminding you of that special person. A 15-gallon tree can be planted for a donation of $50. The trees will be planted in public places throughout the city and county; to date the program is responsible for planting more than 1,200 trees, with 90 more to be planted this year. For more information on this project, or to make a donation, contact Pat Miller, (858) 459-2039.
And remember, if you walk under a jacaranda tree and one of its lovely blue flowers falls on your head, it is said you will experience good luck!