Jacarandas

By Kathi Diamant, KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published September 1, 2006 at 8:39 AM PDT

This story was published more than 18 years ago.

San Diego County has turned blue and purple again, dusted by a blue snowfall, underneath lavender clouds, thanks to more than 12,000 jacaranda trees planted along city and suburban streets

San Diego County is turning blue and purple again, dusted by a blue snowfall, underneath lavender clouds, thanks to more than 12,000 jacaranda trees planted along city and suburban streets.

The jacarandas blossom and then throughout the months of May and June, fall like a gentle rain. Native to Central and South America and the W. Indies, the jacaranda (J. mimosifloria) is the official non-native ornamental tree of San Diego.

Before the fern-like green foliage appears in summer, the showy clusters of lilac-blue trumpet-shaped flowers appear on the trees bare grayish-brown branches. As the blossoms fall to the ground, they form a velvety soft blanket, covering San Diego streets , lawns, sidewalks and cars. There’s a saying that if you walk under a jacaranda tree, and a blossom falls on your head, you’ll have good luck!

Great Places to See Jacarandas in Bloom:

Downtown/Ash Street/First Avenue
Golden Hill/25th Street
Serra Mesa/ Mission Village Drive
El Cajon Boulevard
Lemon Grove/Golden Avenue
Casa de Oro
Wild Animal Park
San Diego Treasures Staff:
Videographer: Michael Gerdes
Sound: Roland Lizarondo
Editor: Ron Stein
Music Consultant: Byron La Due
Production Manager: Ena Newell
Producer/Host: Kathi Diamant

Music Selection: From “ Age of Innocence " by Elmer Bernstein

San Diego Treasures offers KPBS viewers a chance to discover one of San Diego’s natural or man-made spaces and places that make our county a special place to live.