It's blue this summer

JACARANDA, or Nili gulmohur is a quick growing flowering tree. It adds colour to avenues where it is most often planted. Jacaranda belongs to the family Bignoniaceae. There are two species in this genera J. mimosaefolia D. Don and J. filicifolia. - J. mimosaefolia has mimosa-like leaves and beautiful blue mauve flowers whereas J. filicifolia has fern-like leaves and smaller bright purplish blue flowers. Propagated through seeds, semi hard wood cuttings and grafts, the Jacaranda can be grown in hilly tracts upto an altitude of 1,500 m. The tree thrives in well drained soil and cannot withstand water logged conditions.

The tree attains a height of about 10 to 12 m. It is deciduous and leafless, before flowering. It starts flowering at the age of five. The tree is in full bloom during March to May. The brilliant blue flowers are borne profusely in terminal panicles of 40 to 100. The flowers are tubular in shape and about three cm long. The fruit is a flat disc like woody dehiscent capsule. It possesses numerous papery winged seeds. The wood is moderately hard, heavy and fine textured which is suitable for making tool handles.

S. LETCHOUMANANE

K. NAGESWARI

G. BALAKRISHNAMOORTHY

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : This river is still being polluted
Next     : Smile and the world drives better