Jacaranda mimosifolia

Blue Jacaranda

Scientific classification

Template:Regnum:		Plantae
Template:Divisio:		Magnoliophyta
Template:Classis:		Magnoliopsida
Template:Ordo:		Scrophulariales
Template:Familia:		Bignoniaceae
Template:Genus:		Jacaranda
[[{{{1}}}{{{2}}} {{{3}}}\|{{{1}}}. {{{3}}}]]		mimosifolia

Binomial name

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The Blue Jacaranda, more often known simply as the "Jacaranda", is a tropical tree native to the Amazon Basin that has been widely planted elsewhere because of its beautiful and long-lasting blue flowers. Older sources give it the systematic name Jacaranda acutifolia, but it is nowadays more usually called Jacaranda mimosifolia. It is also known as the Black Poui. In scientific usage, the name "Jacaranda" refers to the genus Jacaranda, which has many other members, but in horticultural and everyday usage, it nearly always means the Blue Jacaranda.

The Blue Jacaranda has been cultivated in almost every part of the world where there is no risk of frost. It can grows to a height of around 10 metres. The trees remain in flower for up to two months. The flowers are followed by woody seed pods, about 4cm in diameter.

The taxonomic status of the Blue Jacaranda is unsettled. ITIS regards the older name, Jacaranda acutifolia, as a synonym for J. mimosifolia. However, some modern taxonomists maintain the distinction between these two species, regarding them as geographically distinct: J. acutifolia is endemic to Peru, while J. mimisifoloa is native to Bolivia and Argentina. On this basis, cultivated forms should be treated as J. mimisifolia, since they are believed to derive from Argentinian stock. Both species have vivid, long-lasting blue-purple flowers, and belong to the section Monolobos of the genus Jacaranda.