Jacaranda: Tips on Growing and Caring for this Beautiful Plant
Jacaranda is a kind of tree for ornamental, leaf, and flower viewing.
It is widely planted as a street tree in tropical and warm subtropical areas.
Its wood is yellowish-white to gray, soft and light, with straight texture and easy processing, and can be used as furniture material.
This species has both ornamental and economic value.
Growth Habit
Good warm climate, suitable for planting in a sunny place. The requirements of soil conditions are not strict, in general, neutral and slightly acidic soil can grow well.
Breeding Way
There are two ways to propagate jacaranda: sowing and cutting.
Cutting Propagation
Jacaranda cuttings are mainly distributed in spring and autumn every year. When cutting propagation, stout strips of jacaranda should be selected as cuttings, which will improve the survival rate of jacaranda.
Sowing Propagation
The jacaranda fruit ripens mainly around November. Pick the jacaranda fruit and store it in a place where there is no wind. Wait until the seeds dry before storing them. The best time to plant jacaranda is around March each year.
Cultivation Techniques
Temperature
The jacaranda is a native American plant that grows in a warm and humid environment, which is why it is naturally fond of warm and humid environments.
The optimum growth temperature is 22℃~30℃. When the temperature is lower than 15℃ in winter, the growth stagnates. Lower than 3℃~5℃, there is a risk of freezing.
Jacaranda trees are not resistant to frost and snow, so remember to control the temperature in winter. Summer temperatures are higher than 32℃ and growth is inhibited.
Light
It is best to store the jacaranda in a sunny area. However, the jacaranda can tolerate half shade. Shades should be appropriate in summer when the sun is too strong.
Soil
Jacaranda trees thrive in rich, moist sandy or loam soil. Take special care when planting.
Fertilization
When planting, should apply sufficient base fertilizer, after the spring and autumn two seasons need topdressing 1 time, when potted, can cut dry or grafting dwarfing, and control watering and application of nitrogen fertilizer.
Trim
Pruning should be carried out once a year in early spring, and old plants should be re-sheared.
Main value
Landscape Value
The jacaranda is a deciduous tree that can be used as a street, shade, and landscape tree. The jacaranda flower is precious and beautiful.
Economic Value
Besides garden value, the jacaranda has some economic value. It can be used to make paper. The initial whiteness of the jacaranda wood powder is lower, but the lignin content is higher.
The content of extractive substances in the jacaranda wood solvent is similar to that of the broadleaf wood. Its fibers are short and its basic density is low. Wood is soft and light and can be used as furniture.
Plant Culture
Flower Language
(1) Quiet, profound, melancholy.
(2) Waiting for love in despair.
(3) Deep, cool, quiet, open.
Modern Culture
South Africa
Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, is known as the Jacaranda City because of the many Jacaranda flowers that turn the whole City blue in spring. The term “jacaranda city” often appears in Afrikaans songs.
Australia
In Australia, there is a Christmas song about jacaranda trees, Christmas Where Gum Trees Grow. Because in the Jacaranda blossom summer it’s Christmas in Australia—as the song goes, “When the bloom of the Jacaranda tree is here, Christmas time is near… By the time the jacaranda is in bloom, Christmas will be here. The Jacaranda Festival is held every year in Grafton, Australia, from the penultimate weekend of October to the first weekend of November.
Argentina
In Argentina, author Alejandro Dolina recounts a legend about a giant Jacaranda tree in his book Cronicas del Angel Gris (Chronicles of the Gray Angel). Located in Plaza Flores (Flores Square) in Buenos Aires, the tree can blow out tango music on demand. Writer and musician Maria Elena Walsh dedicated her song “Cancion del Jacaranda” to the tree.
Britain
In his song “Jacaranda”, British singer Steve Tilson praises the beautiful trees he encountered in Australia. (It was the 11th track on his 2008 album Ziggurat.)
