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WilliamEdward
They have thousands of these in South Africa. Not sure where they came from but they're non-native there too. They create a big mess.
jamesrcole
> Not sure where they came from

South-central South America, according to Wikipedia [1].

I was wondering where they're from as they're also fairly common in my hometown of Brisbane, Australia.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacaranda_mimosifolia

emmelaich
The canonical Jacaranda town in Australia is Grafton.

https://www.google.com/search?q=jacaranda+grafton&source=lnm...

dwd
Having gone to see the cherry blossoms in Japan this year, I was wondering why we don't celebrate the jacarandas even half as much.

Grafton and a heap of other small towns all have jacaranda festivals and we're obviously really bad at promoting them.

The Brisbane Council classifying jacarandas as invasive weeds probably doesn't help either.

possibleworlds
Wow. We have about 12 on our short street in inner city Sydney and I thought that was impressive.

I always find it bittersweet how short the bloom is.

gHosts
If you want Jacaranda trees galore.....

Try Pretoria or Johannesburg when it is too late to start studying for end of year exams....

spookyuser
Wow this is too real.
gHosts
The Jacky Verandas are still bare... Get your butt behind a desk and start studying while theres time!
Voyiatzis
Those were the days: weekdays at Wits, weekends in Pretoria.
deskamess
Harare has its fair share too. Walked through the leaves going to school.
yannis
Jacaranda trees are possibly the most beautiful trees for residential areas. I used to leave in South Africa in a street lined with jacarandas. Only disadvantage streets need to be cleaned often and if the flowers drop on a parked car they can stain the paint.
Stratoscope
Agreed. We have a jacaranda as do several of our neighbors. They grow well on the SF Peninsula and are awesomely beautiful.

Fortunately our parking spots are far away from them.

pvaldes
I will give you some alternatives to compare

Rata tree / flame of the North, a real Maui native tree. Metrosideros spp. (the name is not related with rats, Rata tree means Iron tree)

The Yellow, Pink, Rose and White lapachos, cousins of Jacaranda. Hadroanthus spp.

Flamboyant, Delonyx regia

Star Apple, Caimito. Chrysophyllum cainito. Golden leaves, purple edible fruits

plumeria
Jacaranda trees in bloom are amazing. The whole 12th Ave. between streets 42 and 72 in Sabana Sur, San José, Costa Rica is planted with these trees.
numanumakid009
Map does not scroll well on mobile
cookingoils
Hmm I was seeing that happening occasionally. It's just using the google maps api. What phone/browser were you trying it on?

Edit: Just made some adjustments. Map should work better on mobile now.

hoektoe
Was wondering how this came up on HN, then I saw all the South African comments.
hkmurakami
Oh that’s what those trees are! They’re quite beautiful in bloom. Thanks for your website :)
groundCode
Nice! I grew up in South Africa surrounded by jacaranda trees. One of the things I miss now that I live in Europe
pvaldes
I tortured one of those mexican creatures some years ago. Is a very beautiful, but frustrating plant able to stand more cold than expected, but decicuous in this case.

Each plant has its secrets. Have I mentioned that they smell like piss when dropping the leaves? Yup, Jacaranda trees reek in winter if the area is beyond their normal distribution and they sense any cold. Die to the ground and then resprout.

Apart of this, beautifull feathered foliage and even more beautiful flowers in a big tree with elm-like bark and nice hot-cake shaped fruits.

ggm
Grafton NSW. And Casino. Also heaps in Brisbane. The curse of University of Queensland students, Jacaranda flowers means exams time. All through the city and the riverbank.

They send chemical cues and flower en masse but with temperature changes are also note breathing flowers out of season with leaves, worrisome.