Moody Jacarandas

In Southern California around this time of year many of the streets are lined in blue tropical trees called jacarandas. They are considered by some as one of the most beautiful trees in the world due to their unusual color. They bloom for at least four or five weeks every May into June after shedding all their pretty fern-like foliage. They prefer hot weather and this spring has been ideal for them to produce very heavy blooms and the ones in our San Juan Capistrano neighborhood are putting on quite a show. They are like clouds of blue (and of course puddles of blue underneath them, perhaps the unspoken downside) as you drive down the street near us. These trees that are putting on the spectacular show are growing in the sidewalks along the main street in town, with barely any care, thriving on neglect I suspect. Then you look at our jacaranda that has been growing for about five years in the back yard and all you see are about a handful of blooms at the tips of the branches, barely noticeable! Either the sub-climate is too moderate for it to drop its foliage and produce a big bloom or else it is just too darn happy!