Jacaranda mimosifolia Seeds | Blue Jacaranda
LATIN NAME: Jacaranda mimosifolia
COMMON NAME: Blue Jacaranda
Plant Profile
Among the ornamental and useful plants raised from seed, Blue Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) stands out as a deciduous tree in the trumpet-vine family. Flowers carpet ground beneath tree when they fall, and crown flowers best in warm, sunny positions. It likes sun, and deep, moist, well-drained soil. The flowers pull in pollinating insects, which quietly widens its usefulness in the garden. Together these qualities explain its long-standing appeal to gardeners.
Science & Biotechnology
The species features in the wider study of the trumpet-vine family, and its traits make it a useful subject for work on germination biology, cultivation and ornamental selection. Massed blue flowering of jacaranda holds a long place in research on flowering street trees of trumpet-vine family, and mimosifolia species appears in studies of flower pigment chemistry and seasonal flowering rhythm. The practical point for growers is that this plant has been observed in gardens for so long that its behaviour holds few surprises.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Blue Jacaranda has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. In warm garden, avenue and park, blue jacaranda mists spring air with violet blue. Trumpet flowers feed bees, fallen blooms carpet ground, tree has lined streets of warm cities for generations, and timber serves fine carving and the joinery. It thrives in deep, moist, well-drained, sunny ground with shelter from hard frost. Once it has its roots down, it more or less looks after itself.
Jacaranda is the lavender cloud of subtropical streets, grown for its breathtaking bloom; folk records exist in South America but its glory is ornamental.
Growing from Seed
Raising Blue Jacaranda from seed is straightforward. Surface-sow onto a light, well-drained compost, dust over a thin covering, and keep evenly moist and sunny until the seedlings show. A cool, moist period before sowing helps the seeds wake evenly — a few weeks in damp medium in the refrigerator is the usual approach. Shift the seedlings into small pots as soon as they can be handled, and give them bright light until planting-out time.
Our Take
Blue Jacaranda settles in quickly once it finds its footing. The seed responds well to a spell of cold stratification, a small step that pays off.
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