Despite being an exotic tree for our country (Chile),
the natural grace of its crown and its large fra-
grant, violet-blue flowers make it one of the favorite
species to plant along the streets and avenues
of Santiago. Nowadays it is quite common to see
young specimens adorning the city and, together
with the Ombú (Phytolacca dioica), jacaranda con-
stitutes a wonderful representative of the tropical
and subtropical regions of South America.
In Chile, jacaranda is recommended for planting from
the Arica and Parinacota Region, to the Metropolitan
Region, in the center of the country. It should be
taken into account that its canopy provides a modest
amount of shade and that, according to some authors,
the species does not resist wind well. In general, in
our country the jacaranda does not suffer from the
presence of many pests and diseases, except for
the flowers and buds, which are usually attacked
by aphids that do not cause major damage.
The semi-persistent foliage of the species behaves
as deciduous in the Metropolitan Region, due
to low winter temperatures. In addition, young
specimens can be seriously affected by frost.
As the wood of jacaranda can be slow to lignify,
and the tree can be prone to wind damage, it is
often advisable to stake newly planted trees.
It is not recommended to plant it along bicycle paths,
since its fruits could affect mobility. Apart from that, it
can be used along streets and avenues with low vehicular
flow and reasonable above- and below-ground planting
space and, of course, in parks, squares, and gardens. To
obtain abundant flowering, it is recommended to plant in
places with direct exposure to the sun, most of the day.
In arid parts of Chile, jacaranda is not very resis-
tant to drought, so it is necessary to water it in
its establishment stage, as well as in areas and
times with low natural rainfall. This requirement
could be affecting the young specimens planted
in central Chile, which is currently suffering from
a severe mega-drought due to climate change.
However, its spectacular violet-blue flowering, which
floods the urban landscape with a soft aroma and color
in Chilean spring until early summer (September to
December), and its elegant natural appearance and fine
foliage put the jacaranda on the podium of the most
attractive trees currently planted in our country.
Photos on this page by Stephanie Carrie @treesofla
urban-forestry.com 39
Who could doubt the beauty of the jacaranda?