JACARANDA mimosifolia (Blue Jacaranda)

Blue Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) is the tree that turns whole streets purple for a few weeks each year, and then drops a lilac carpet under itself. Given room it grows to around 12m tall with a spreading canopy close to 10m across, held on a broad, flat topped frame of ferny foliage. This one is supplied as an ex ground specimen, field grown and lifted, so you are buying decades of growth rather than waiting for it.

Why you'll love it

• A flowering display nothing else matches. Trumpet shaped purple flowers cover the bare branches in late spring, before the new leaves come through.
• Fast growth for a tree this size. It puts on height quickly in warm gardens, so an avenue starts reading as an avenue within a few years.
• Genuine summer shade. The fine, ferny canopy filters light rather than blocking it, which suits lawns and understorey planting beneath.
• Tough once established. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and wind tolerant, and the flowers bring bees and butterflies through in numbers.

Where it works best

Shade tree on an open block. Give it at least 10m of clear space in every direction. This is a tree for a large lawn, a paddock edge or an acreage entrance, not a courtyard.

Driveways and avenues. Spaced 10m to 12m apart the canopies meet overhead and form a tunnel in flower. Set the row well back from the driveway edge.

Feature planting. A single specimen at the front of a property is the traditional use, sited where you can see the flowering from indoors.

Growing Blue Jacaranda in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and shelter from severe wind while young. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It takes light frost only, and young trees are the vulnerable ones, so hard frosting inland and southern districts are outside its comfortable range.

Soil. Well drained soil is essential; it dislikes heavy wet clay. Work compost through a wide planting hole and raise the level if drainage is poor. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then only in extended dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough. Heavy nitrogen feeding gives leaf at the expense of flower.

Pruning. Keep it minimal. Remove crossing or damaged limbs in late winter and lift the lower branches over the first few years. Hard pruning triggers whippy upright regrowth that spoils the shape.

What to expect when it arrives

This is ex ground stock: grown in the field on the farm and lifted with its root ball for dispatch, rather than raised in a pot. It arrives as a large tree, so dig the hole, set the stakes and organise machinery and access before delivery day.

Being deciduous, it may arrive bare depending on the season. Expect a quiet first year while it rebuilds feeder roots, then normal growth from the second spring. Delivered Australia wide, with a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the jacaranda care guide for planting and pruning detail.
• Browse the rest of the ex ground tree range.
• Compare other flowering trees for a feature position.

Common questions

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 10m, and further if you can. The canopy spreads to about 10m and the root system is vigorous, so it is a poor choice near pipes, paving, retaining walls or a pool.

How messy is the flower drop?

Heavy. The petals carpet the ground for weeks, and they turn slippery on paths and stain paving. Plant it over lawn or garden bed, never over a driveway you keep spotless.

When will it flower?

Late spring, usually October and November depending on your latitude. An established ex ground tree should flower in its first or second season once settled, unlike a seedling that can take years.