Similarly, when spring comes, Sydney's jacaranda trees bloom in their fabulous purple blossom and people are in awe of this natural phenomenon.
Hundreds or maybe thousands of jacaranda trees line the city's parks and streets, and for about six weeks - usually in bloom from mid-October until the end of November and peaking in mid-November - the streets are adorned by beautiful purple flowers that gently fall on the sidewalks like purple rain. It is a simply incredible sight that you cannot miss if you are in Sydney (or in other parts of Australia) at this time of the year!
Sydney residents have fallen so deeply in love with these lilac goddesses that the jacaranda tree is often mistaken for a native Australian when in fact it is of Brazilian origin. The origin of this jacaranda abundance in Sydney is traced back to a couple of myths: one tale - which is probably just an urban myth - is about a hospital director who sent newborns home with jacaranda seedlings to spread some lavender colour around the city, while others attribute it to civic workers who allegedly planted the trees as part of a city beautification program in the early 20th century.
Truth is we do not have a lot of information on how this tree got here, but as far as we know the first seeds were brought from South America to Brisbane. Expeditionary captains brought seeds into the market that they thought would be of interest to local populations, probably to earn some extra cash. It appears that a former Brisbane City Botanical Garden director, Walter Hill, bought some seeds from an expedition captain and planted them in the 19th century. From there, they probably arrived in Sydney shortly thereafter.
The North Shore is certainly one of the most famous places for jacaranda blossoms and these trees are so popular that many are the walking tours organized to view them in the suburb's best streets. Kirribilli is one of the most beautiful streets in Sydney with a canopy of jacaranda trees jutting out towards each other creating a spectacular purple tunnel and a lilac carpet on the street below.
As alternatives to Kirribilli, you can opt for areas such as Lavender Bay or Greenwich, which may be a bit quieter but just as beautiful.
While the large white sails of the Opera House and the old Harbor Bridge are beautiful nevertheless, lilac flowers are a cool spring addition to these iconic structures. Jacarandas bloom along the shoreline, the cobbled streets of The Rocks and in a large luminous forest between the ferry dock and the Museum of Contemporary Art too. From the top of the Circular Quay train station, you can appreciate the beauty of these trees from a different point of view.
Perhaps less crowded (especially on weekends) and with no chance of traffic is the University of Sydney which has jacaranda trees all over the campus.
Last but not least, what better place to see jacarandas than the Royal Botanic Gardens, which are home to jacaranda trees dating back to 1850? When it was planted, the jacaranda of the Royal Botanic Gardens was one of the first and only places people could admire this tree, today it is one of many and not the most famous, but with the Harbor Bridge as a backdrop to the photo, I would say that this is one of the most Instagram-friendly locations!
JACARANDA TREE
