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A Trifecta of Flowering Trees

The mauve mantel of Jacaranda has been cast over our world.

Jacaranda flowers so well in our latitude that many people think it’s a native plant. But that honour belongs to Brazil!

 


Jacaranda. First in our trifecta of flowering trees.

 

The reason we have so many mature jacarandas in Sydney is due to some far-sighted nursing ‘matrons’ including Sister Irene Haxton who grew jacaranda seedlings in jam tins at her Maternity Hospital in Cronulla. During the 1950’s every mother was given a Jacaranda as she left the hospital with her new baby. Other hospital matrons followed her lead; in Ryde, in Manly and those trees are now mature, making a huge impact on the landscape.

Read more about white and blue jacaranda here...

Jacaranda is number-one of the three trees all flowering at the same time in late spring on the east coast of Australia's temperate zone. If you're lucky you may see them all planted together - a trifecta of flowering trees!


Our trifecta of flowering trees also includes...

Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta )

The grandfather of the grevilleas can grow anywhere between 10 and 30 metres. It’s one of the most popular native shade trees, widely grown here in Oz and overseas. With huge orange/gold brushes, this tree is flowering now.

 


Grevillea robusta

 

Flame Tree (Brachyciton acerifolius)

Illawarra Flame Tree completes the trifecta. Bushfire-red Brachychiton acerifolius is coming into flower now. Get all-over flowering by feeding with native fertiliser (Bush Tucker). Look out for the new grafted versions of its sister tree the Kurrajong, Brachychiton 'Bella Pink', 'Griffith Pink’ and ‘Jerilderie Red’

 


The blazing Illawarra FlameTree, Brachychiton acerifolius, with Jacaranda in the background.


Brachychiton ‘Jerilderie Red’. Photo - Tim Pickles