Jacaranda Trees

How to choose a jacaranda

The Jacaranda Tree is the classic: lavender blue trumpet flowers on bare or nearly bare branches from October to December, depending on how far south you are. The White Jacaranda Tree is the Alba form, with the same shape and foliage. Flower colour in white jacarandas depends on how the tree was propagated, so if white flowers matter to your design, ask us to confirm it before you order.

The second choice is the size you begin with. Potted trees establish quickly and catch up within a few years. If you want shade and presence from the first summer, the Blue Jacaranda is also offered as an advanced, field grown tree that is dug to order. Young jacarandas can take several years to flower well, so an older tree shortens the wait.

Where jacarandas grow

A mature jacaranda reaches 10 to 15 metres tall with a crown as wide or wider, so it is a tree for a lawn, a wide verge or a large back garden, not a narrow side passage. It grows through the subtropics and warm temperate zones, including Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, and in sheltered spots in Melbourne. Young trees are frost tender and need protection for their first two or three winters; established trees take light frosts. Full sun and well drained soil give the strongest flowering.

Keep it at least five metres from buildings, pools and drains. The fallen flowers are part of the charm on grass but are slippery on paving and a nuisance in a pool. Jacarandas also self seed, and seedlings come up in bushland in south east Queensland and northern New South Wales, so do not plant one beside bushland or a creek line there. For other trees that carry a garden see our flowering trees, feature trees and deciduous trees.

Planting and spacing

Plant in spring or early summer once frosts have passed, so the tree has a full warm season to root in. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and no deeper, set the tree at the level it grew, backfill with the soil you dug out and water in well. For an avenue or a row along a driveway, space the trees eight to ten metres apart so the crowns meet without crowding.

Care basics

Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers. After that a jacaranda is drought hardy and needs water only in long dry spells. Feed lightly in early spring; heavy feeding and heavy watering push leaves at the expense of flowers.

The one firm rule is to prune as little as possible. A jacaranda cut back hard answers with tall, vertical shoots that spoil the spreading shape for good. Train a single trunk while the tree is young, remove only dead or crossing wood, and let the crown form on its own. Our jacaranda care guide covers training and seasonal care in detail.

Common questions

When do jacarandas flower in Australia?

From October in Queensland and northern New South Wales, through November in Sydney and Perth, and into December in Melbourne and Adelaide.

How big does a jacaranda tree grow?

Expect 10 to 15 metres tall and about as wide at maturity.

Is a jacaranda deciduous?

Yes, though late. The leaves yellow and fall in late winter and early spring, the flowers follow on bare branches, and the new foliage arrives with or just after the blossom.

Can I grow a jacaranda in a pot?

Only for a few years. It is a large tree with a wide root system and it will not flower well or stay healthy in a container long term. Plant it in the ground where it has room.