For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) family Bignoniaceae

The Jacaranda is one of South Africa's best known trees, but it is an invasive exotic that was originally introduced from Brazil and Argentina.
Pretoria is also known as the 'Jacaranda City' because of the prevalence of these trees on the city's streets and parklands. The jacaranda is most noticeable in spring when it flowers in bright displays of purple-blue.
The name jacaranda is derived from Portuguese meaning "to have a hard core, hard branch".
Although the purple-blue is the most well know, Jacarandas are found in 4 different colours, including white, yellow and pink. Pink Jacarandas are found further north in Zimbabwe.
They are also a popular tree in Florida, California and Australia.
These are some of the formal gardens from which I took some of the above photographs.
Even here in the distance are Jacaranda trees.