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The cherry blossoms that have made Washington, D.C. even more of a tourist hotspot have finally met their West Coast counterpart—purple jacaranda mimosifolia trees. They've just started to bloom in Southern California, and the spectacular sight will give you flower fever. Jacaranda trees aren't native to the U.S.—they more than likely were exported from Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina by horticulturalists because of their beautiful color, which is just starting to show for the summer.
Late May is right on schedule for these trees to blossom, Frank McDonough, botanist at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia, recently told the Pasadena Star News. “They are not completely out yet: Usually by the first week of June, they will have all their leaves gone and showing mostly flowers.”
The first week of June has arrived, and the purple and blue trumpet-shaped flowers have begun to burst with their summertime colors from Pasadena to Santa Ana, Beverly Hills, and Long Beach. Like cherry blossoms, jacaranda trees can be just a bit messy—their flowers often fall to the ground and cover the sidewalks and streets below, just like the classic pink bloom of cherry trees.
If you're thinking of planting your own jacaranda trees, fair warning: They only thrive in southern states, like the lower parts of California, Florida, and parts of Texas. They need full sun to grow, and can sprout over 60 feet tall.
Not in a southern state? Don't worry—you still have time to head to California and catch the jacaranda trees that are in bloom for a few more months.
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