Brother Shrub and Sister Sand,
Brother Moss and Sister Spring,
Brother River and Sister Stone,
Brother Dust and Sister People.
Arturo Corcuera
(Suggested translation of the original poem in Spanish)
I wanted to hurry in writing about this tree because we can still find some of them in full bloom, even when it is June already. This time I will talk about the Jacaranda (Jacaranda caucana) tree, from the Bignoniaceae family, a very beautiful tree that serves as ornament on both streets and parks all over the country.
This is a medium-sized tree, not as large as the corotú (Enterolobium cyclocarpum), but larger than the nance (Byrsonima crassifolia), with a straight branched trunk than can achieve a 50 cm diameter. The top of the tree is rather wide and long, with a downward tendency.
The tree sheds its leaves as a protection against excessive transpiration during the dry season/drought. Its leaves are small and pointed. The flowers are gathered in “terminal panicles” with bell-shaped flower crowns that burst into a vibrant, vivid purple when in bloom. A few weeks after, the fruits can be seen: oblong flattened capsules that open in half, leaving the seed exposed.