Jacaranda

Reminder: we have sold several Jacaranda end of November/beginning of December, it is very important that the plant is kept away from frost.

Jacaranda mimosifolia is a spectacular tree, native to the tropical regions of Bolivia and Argentina. It bears masses of vibrant purple-blue flowers in late-spring and again in autumn, and is a popular street tree and garden specimen in warmer climates. While many people fall in love with Jacaranda tree while on holiday and want to grow it at home, it's a frost-tender deciduous tree that needs a warm growing environment with a minimum temperature of 5°C. However, the dwarf grafted form, Jacaranda ‘Bonsai Blue’, makes it possible to grow Jacaranda in a pot, so you can grow it outdoors in summer and move it under cover for winter.

An unmistakable and glorious sight when in flower, Jacaranda flowers in spring and early summer, bearing many small flowers in large pyramidal clusters. Individual blooms are 3-5cm long, rich purple-blue with a white throat. Flowers are borne on the bare stems before the leaves, or just as the leaves are emerging. Leaves are bright, mid green, and divided.

Jacaranda mimosifolia reaches a height of 15m and a spread of 10m. The dwarf variety ‘Bonsai Blue’ is much more compact, with a height of 1.5m and spread of 45cm.

Pot on into the next size up of container, in late winter or early spring, until reaching a maximum pot size of 45cm high and wide. Thereafter, top dress annually in late winter by carefully removing the top several centimetres of compost and replacing with fresh material.

We have a good stock of seedlings and these will be available from about November at £8.50 each.

You can order now with delivery during first week of November.

Potting and Repotting Jacaranda Trees

In the tropics, these trees grow 50 feet tall, outgrowing containers. But in cooler climates, they can be grown as container trees growing to about 8 to 10 feet if you annually prune and shape the tree during dormancy to keep it on the smaller side. Though jacaranda trees can also be grown indoors in pots they typically will not flower.

Container-grown jacaranda trees need to be planted in containers at least 5 gallons in size using a sandy loam potting mix that drains quickly. The soil should be kept moist but not soggy throughout the active growing season.

If you are transplanting jacaranda, do it in the winter after they drop their leaves but before they bud out in early spring. Transplanting them while dormant reduces stress and increases the likelihood of success.

Overwintering

As tropical trees, these plants will likely not survive climates that freeze for extended periods.3 It can handle an occasional day with a cold snap of 20°F but beyond that, the tree cannot survive. To mitigate any potential frosty days the tree needs a sunny area that has some protection from gusty winds.

When jacaranda trees in pots are taken indoors for the winter, they should be watered less frequently and allowed to dry out a bit. A dry period in the winter triggers more blooms in the spring. Similarly, a soggy, wet winter usually means the tree will produce fewer blooms in spring. Prune the potted plant during the dormant winter period; this keeps your potted jacaranda tree from growing too large. Each year, it becomes more difficult to bring the plant indoors for the winter if you don't prune it.

Jacaranda Tree Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing a jacaranda tree:

• Avoid planting a jacaranda tree near pools, driveways, patios, and sidewalks due to weak wood, litter, and significant surface roots that can disturb structures.
• Plant the jacaranda tree in a spot that has six to eight hours of sunlight a day.
• Use sandy soil on the acidic side that's well-draining to prevent root rot.
• Water the tree during extended dry periods though the plant is moderately drought-tolerant.