BLUE JACARANDA Mimosifolia

Jacaranda mimosifolia is a sub-tropical tree that has been widely planted elsewhere because of its attractive and long-lasting violet-colored flowers. It is also known as the jacaranda, blue jacaranda, black poui, or fern tree.

The blue jacaranda has been cultivated in almost every part of the world where there is no risk of frost; established trees, however, tolerate brief spells of temperatures down to around −7 °C (19 °F). In the US, in areas where winter temperatures can dip to −12 °C (10 °F) for several-hour periods, the mature tree survives with little or no visible damage. Even when young trees are damaged by a hard frost and suffer dieback, they will often rebound from the roots and grow in a shrub-like, multi-stemmed form.

This plant has won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

The tree grows to a height of up to 20 m (66 ft). The flowers are up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long, and are grouped in 30 cm (12 in) panicles. They appear in spring and early summer, and last for up to two months. The blue jacaranda is cultivated for the sake of its large compound leaves, even in areas where it rarely blooms. These leaves are up to 45 cm (18 in) long and bi-pinnately compound, with leaflets little more than 1 cm (0.39 in) long.

The unusually shaped, tough pods, which are 5.1 to 7.6 cm (2 to 3 in) across, are often gathered, cleaned and used to decorate Christmas trees and dried arrangements.

Hardiness zones: 9-11

Seeds per pack: 10

Germination: Soak the seeds in rainwater overnight, and then place the seeds on a bed of soil in seedling containers or pots. Cover them with a thin layer of soil, and keep the soil moist. Germinates in 2-4 weeks.