It’s Jacaranda Time
It’s “Jacaranda Time” in the 5th Council District. But this picture is not from the 5th District or even Long Beach — it is from Australia — where for the past 72 years the people of Grafton have held a week-long celebration called a “Jacaranda Festival” that is internationally known as a great event.
Since taking office, I have been working on putting together a festival of some sort for the 5th Council District and originally wanted to name it “Jacaranda Festival” as well. But I know there is some controversy in our District about this tree — you either love its breathtaking floral display — or you hate its “litter” when the lilac-blue clusters of trumpet shaped blossoms drop all over your lawn, sidewalk, car, etc.
So we have decided to name the festival: “The Good Neighbor Festival and Family Picnic” and we hold it in September -which is National Good Neighbor Month. But more on that later.
For those of you who love this magnificent tree, you should know that it comes from Brazil. And in that country is it pronounced: hakharanda. These trees prefer a warm coastal climate and provide summer shade –which is why they are popular in California.
Besides Grafton, Australia celebrating the blooming of these trees for an entire week — with a parade, naming a Jacaranda King and Queen at a formal ball and a series of other events — there are a number of other festivals held throughout the world to celebrate the magnificent display these trees provide. Pretoria, South Africa is known as “Jacaranda City” because of its 70,000 plus flowering Jacarandas.
For those of you who hate the fact that they trees carpet your lawn, sidewalk, car, etc. — you need to know that legend has it in Australia that if you are walking underneath the Jacaranda tree and one of the trumpet blossoms falls on your head you will have good fortune.
The legend of the falling blossoms was picked up by students in Pretoria, South Africa and because the Jacarandas bloom there at the same time of the year-end exams at the University of Pretoria, legend has it if a blossom falls on your head, you will pass your exams. In Australia, students refer to the Jacaranda as the “exam tree” because the lore there has it that you don’t start studying for final exams until the jacarandas have “molted.”
The blossoms may be bothersome, but you have to admit, nothing is more spectacular in the 5th District than the Jacarandas in full splendor.
