We’re excited to say San Diego has the springtime blues — jacaranda trees are starting to bloom. The city is home to an estimated 12,000 blue jacarandas known for their trumpet-shaped, lavender-blue flowers.
This year, the blooms are right on schedule, as they typically arrive in late spring. Generally, they only last about two months, so you’ll want to catch these flowers before they fall.
🌱 The San Diego roots
Jacaranda mimosifolia are native to South American countries like Argentina and Bolivia, but over time, they’ve petaled their way north. Horticulturalist Kate Sessions is credited for bringing the trees to San Diego in the 1890s, and the jacaranda has even been named San Diego’s official urban tree.
The city is the perfect home for these purple beauties. To flower, they need plenty of sun and a moderate amount of water — but can tolerate some drought periods because they need sandy, well-drained soil. However, they can’t survive in frequent freezing temps.
These petals give new meaning to purple rain.
Photo via @joy_guest
👀 Peep the purple
Because jacaranda trees aren’t native to San Diego there are many clusters where city planners placed them. You can branch out and take a tour of the trees and these communities.
- Bankers Hill — Much of Kate Sessions’ work surrounds Balboa Park, and the neighborhood west of it has many trees spanning from Fir to Walnut streets.
- Barrio Logan — Jacaranda trees are part of this community’s design, especially along Cesar E. Chavez Parkway.
- Golden Hill — The neighborhood has many jacarandas, especially in its northern part closest to Balboa Park. This includes Broadway and 25th, 28th, and 30th streets.
- Little Italy — These purple flowers make this colorful community more vibrant. You’ll find many along India and Columbia streets.
