I cannot argue that coming across a Jacaranda tree in Pretoria is a rarity, and according to Henderson (1990:191) the city of Pretoria is known at the Jacaranda City, named after the many thousands of Jacaranda trees that are now living in the city. However, by constantly coming across the Jacaranda tree, it is easy to become desensitised to the ecology of the Jacaranda tree, and this can easily lead to the tree being overlooked. The Jacaranda mimosifolia, common name Jacaranda is known for its clusters of eye-catching bell-shaped blue, purple, lavender and lilac flowers that fill trees during September to November (in South Africa), and then slowly falling to the ground when it starts getting windier. The Jacaranda is also known for its lightweight seeds that are protected by pods and disperse with the wind (CABI 2019).

 

The Jacaranda mimosifolia is native to Argentina and other South American countries, and the first two Jacaranda trees were imported into South Africa during 1888 from Brazil by Mr J.D Celliers in Pretoria (Henderson 1990:191). The Jacaranda can now be found in countries such as Australia, Hawaii, Chile, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia (CABI 1990), however the tree is classified as an invader and is a threat to indigenous vegetation (Henderson 1990:192). In South Africa, the Jacaranda is classified as a Category 3 invader, meaning that the government does not allow for further planting or trade of the tree without special permission (CABI 2019). In Figure 9, one can see that the grass has stopped growing underneath the tree, and this can this is due to the Jacaranda’s deep-rooted and competitive nature which does not allow other plants or crops to grow beneath it. This is concerning as the Jacaranda tree has the power to decrease biodiversity in an ecosystem.

 

Despite this, Jacaranda mimosifolia still plays a vital role in other ecosystems: as seen in Figure 8, the tree depends on a large range of insects and birds for pollution. When I was outside taking this photograph, I was mindful of my steps, as different bees and butterflies were fluttering about between the fallen Jacaranda flowers. CABI (2019) states that the Jacaranda plays an important role in other aspects of life: it is a natural windbreaker, it provides ornamental values to an area, it is vital to honey and honey/flora systems, it is used as a source of pharmaceutical medicine, and it plays an important role in traditional lifestyles and folklore. Unfortunately, according to an IUCN 2016 report (CABI 2019), the Jacaranda is recorded as vulnerable in its native forest areas due to the increase in agricultural activity. This means that it is up to all human beings throughout the world to ensure that the Jacaranda is no longer overlooked: humans need to be sensible when planting these trees in areas where they are not native, and where they are native, locals need to ensure that these trees can continue to grow naturally, without any disruptions. A world without Jacaranda trees seems like a dull, colourless spring and summer in South Africa, and in the end, overlooking this tree will end up having detrimental effects on other ecosystems and lifestyles.