Jacarandas in brilliant purple bloom are a sign of spring. In
Southern California, where we tend to warm up a little quicker than other parts
of the country, Jacarandas in bloom mean summer is around the corner. For the
past few weeks every time I look down a street all I see are full purple
blooms. The horn shaped flowers are a bright lavender color, sometimes with blue
hues, which arrive in May and last into June.
There’s nothing like looking down a side street and seeing
most of the neighborhood shaded by purple blooms. Many stand in parks provide
shade up from above and flowers for play down below. Driving the overpasses of the 5
freeway looking down onto Santa Ana, Orange and Anaheim, Jacarandas are bright spots of
purple between the green of other trees and grey of concrete buildings.
I love seeing the purple blooms every year, breaking up the
monotony of green and grey that is so common in cities and suburbs. I may also
like them so much because I don’t actually have a Jacaranda at home, or even on
my street. The purple flowers, while beautiful up in the branches of the
Jacaranda eventually fall. The blooms create a mess at the base of the tree, which may include parked cars seeking shade, that
can be slippery as well as smelly.
Awesome photos! I was driving my son to Mater Dei today (in Santa Ana), and passed one in full glory spewing purple all over the street. Made me smile. I love those purple trees.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear there are more people in Orange County that love them!
DeleteThanks for the close up of the tulip shaped blossoms. I must have caught the tail end of the season on a trip to Sierra Madre one early July...the name Jacaranda is so exotic!
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