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In the Gardens

Blue Jacaranda,

Brazilian Rosewood

Jacaranda mimosifolia

Bloom time

From April to May.

Characteristics

The gnarled growing tree grows up to 20 m (22 yd.) tall. In winter it sheds off its leaves. Before they sprout again in spring the bleak tree develops the popular blue-violet panicles of flowers. They consist of many single blossoms. As those of many fern species, the tender leaves are bipinnate.

Site:

In the south of Madeira the Blue Jacaranda is growing in gardens and parks up to an altitude of 300 m (330 yd.). In Funchal, Jacaranda is lining whole streets. There you may discover an especially conspicuous effect of the flowers at the end of April when they produce strongly violet shining avenues, e.g. in Avenida Arriaga, in Avenida do Infante or in Rua João de Deus.

Interesting to know:

The tree origins from the savannahs of South Brazil. The Portuguese explorers adapted the Indian name: the “j” at the beginning is pro-nounced like in journal, the emphasis is on the last syllable. Today Jacaranda is cultivated in many countries because of its spectacu-lar flowers. It is said that in Pretoria (South Africa) there are cultivated 6000 specimens.

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