| The sight of a Jacaranda tree in full bloom has to | | | | have large, course textured leaves should be |
| be one of the great sights in gardening. The tree | | | | avoided. Examples of plants that associate well |
| is totally smothered in lavender blue flowers, as | | | | with Jacaranda are trumpet vine shrubs, such as |
| its principle flowering season is the middle of | | | | Stenolobium stans, Tecoma capensis, Calliandra, |
| spring when most of its branches are still bare of | | | | and a variety of ornamental grasses. |
| leaves. | | | | Jacaranda mimosifolia grows quite rapidly, and is |
| Growing wild in Brazil, Jacaranda is suitable for | | | | not particularly easy to maintain. Judicious pruning |
| climates that have hot summers and mild winters. | | | | is essential, at least in the first few years after |
| Indeed summer heat is a requirement for profuse | | | | planting. Branches frequently grow at narrow |
| blooming, while it is only hardy to winter lows of | | | | angles to the trunk and need removing before |
| about -4c. It performs best in frost-free climates. | | | | they become troublesome. Branches must never |
| Jacaranda mimosifolia, to use its botanical name, is | | | | be shortened as this only induces a group of new |
| often planted in small backyard gardens. This is | | | | stems to sprout from the pruning cut. These are |
| generally speaking a mistake. People can get so | | | | the potentially dangerous branches in nine or ten |
| carried away by its spectacular performance in | | | | year's time. Instead, limbs earmarked for removal, |
| flower, that they forget that it rapidly outgrows a | | | | should be carefully pruned at the base of the |
| small plot. In the right climate, it reaches 12-15 | | | | trunk or branch to which they are attached. |
| meters in height (35-45ft) and about 7-10 meters | | | | The tree tends to litter quite badly. The fallen |
| in width.(20-30ft) It is suitable therefore for | | | | flower petals can make a decorative covering on |
| medium to large gardens where it has space to | | | | the ground, but they are somewhat sticky, and |
| grow. Its roots are also fairly aggressive, and so | | | | together with the falling seed capsules, can be a |
| the tree should not be planted too close to the | | | | nuisance in the vicinity of parked cars or |
| house. | | | | swimming pools. |
| The species, as its dimensions imply, is fine as a | | | | The case of the Jacaranda tree exemplifies the |
| shade tree, but thought should also be given to its | | | | principle that landscape trees should not be |
| potential as a focal point in the garden. Jacaranda's | | | | chosen on the strength of their flower display |
| seasonal flower display can be so overwhelming, | | | | alone. The tree has to be suitable in terms of |
| that it ought to be strategically placed for | | | | scale, cultural requirements, and its association |
| maximum effect. | | | | with the rest of the plants in the garden. When |
| It has fern-like foliage, and so can set the tone | | | | these criteria are answered satisfactorily, the |
| for a light textured, feathery motif in the garden | | | | species can then be considered for inclusion in the |
| composition. Shrubs should be chosen baring this | | | | scheme. |
| point in mind, meaning that landscape bushes that | | | | |