Jacaranda

Common Planted Trees

Southern California Coast

388 cities

Jacaranda mimosifolia is a semi-deciduous tree native to Bolivia and Argentina, identifiable by its fern-like compound leaves and those unmistakable clusters of violet-blue tubular flowers that blanket the canopy every May and June. It drops its leaves just before blooming, which gives it that dramatic bare-branches-covered-in-purple look that photographs so well. In Southern California coastal neighborhoods, it functions as a signature canopy tree, but it is a landscape feature you plant for, not just something that happens to be there.

Lifespan

50 to 75 years under good conditions, though trees in Southern California regularly exceed that in favorable microclimates.

Mature Size

Typically 25 to 40 feet tall with a spread that can match or exceed the height. Some older specimens in established neighborhoods push 50 feet wide, which is more tree than most residential lots were designed to accommodate.

Care & Maintenance

Jacaranda wants full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, it handles Southern California's dry summers reasonably well, but deep watering every two to three weeks during summer will keep it healthier than relying on coastal fog alone. Here is what most people get wrong: they fertilize with a high-nitrogen product thinking more food means more flowers, and then wonder why they got a lush green canopy with almost no bloom. Back off the nitrogen entirely and let the tree experience a little stress going into spring.

Common Issues & Threats

Branch failure in wind: The wood is genuinely brittle, and scaffolding branches over 4 inches in diameter are real hazards during Santa Ana wind events. If you have major limbs hanging over a roof or patio, that is not a cosmetic concern, that is a liability.
Flower and seed pod litter: The spent blooms create a slick purple mat on hardscape that is a slip hazard, especially on pool decks and walkways. The woody seed pods that follow in late summer add a second round of cleanup.
Aphid infestations on new growth: Jacaranda pushes a lot of soft new growth in spring, and aphids, particularly the black bean aphid, colonize that growth aggressively. You will often see sticky honeydew dripping onto cars or paving below before you even notice the bugs on the tree.

Pruning Guide

Prune jacaranda in late winter before new growth pushes, and keep it structural, not cosmetic. The goal is to establish a strong central leader and well-spaced scaffold branches while the tree is young, because corrective pruning on a mature jacaranda almost always leaves large wounds the tree struggles to close. Do not top it. Ever. Topping triggers dense, weakly attached regrowth that makes the brittle wood problem significantly worse.

Did You Know?

Jacaranda blooms most prolifically after a cool winter, which is why coastal trees sometimes outbloom inland ones in years with a proper chill. The flowers are actually edible, though that is not a reason to plant one. More practically, a jacaranda that has never bloomed well is often sitting in reflected heat from concrete or getting too much water, not too little.

Where Jacaranda Is Found

Jacaranda is common in 388 of the US communities we cover, across 1 climate regions.

Hardiness Zones 1-9

Redlands, CA Zone 10a Turlock, CA Zone 9b Baldwin Park, CA Zone 10a Rocklin, CA Zone 9a Dublin, CA Zone 9b Redondo Beach, CA Zone 11a Lake Elsinore, CA Zone 10a Walnut Creek, CA Zone 9b Eastvale, CA Zone 10a Yorba Linda, CA Zone 10a Davis, CA Zone 9b Lodi, CA Zone 9b

... and 376 more cities

Need Jacaranda Care?

Find ISA-certified arborists experienced with Jacaranda in your area.

Take the Tree Risk Quiz