The Plant List

Jacaranda mimosifolia

Common: Jacaranda, Green ebony
Family: Bignoniaceae
Origin: Native to Brazil
Sunset Zone: 12, 13, 15-24
Light: Full sun
Soil: Takes a wide variety of soils, but does best in sandy soil
Water: Soak root zone every week or two during growing season; once or twice during dormant (leafless) period.

Tropical effect. Specimen or grouping. Can be located in the open in frost-free areas. Looks excellent in raised planters as a focal point. Open, irregular; sometimes multi-trunked or shrubby look along with lacy texture. Grows at fast to moderate rate to 5-50 ft. high, 15-30 ft. wide. Finely cut, fernlike leaves. Normally drops leaves in February or March and stays bare until flowering time. Deciduous. Usually blossoms in June, but possible any time from April to September; lavender blue, tubular, 2-in.-long in many 8-in.-long clusters. Look like trumpets. Resistant to oak root fungus. Litter of leaves, blossoms and seed capsules. Prune to shape. Stake to produce single, sturdy trunk.

The jacaranda pictured here, located on Cady Mall near the Anthropology Building and Cowden Family Resources at Arizona State University, was planted in memory of Captain William Stoltz, an employee of Arizona State University and a veteran of Desert Storm. Bill was a Space Planner in the Department of Academic Facilities (housed in Cowden Family Resources Building). After his accidental death in 1994, donations were received from his many friends and co-workers throughout the ASU community, and this jacaranda was purchased from and installed by the ASU Grounds Department.