It's Jacaranda Season!
Spring is in full swing, and that means the Jacaranda trees are in bloom, in my neighborhood of San Miguel Chapultepec, and in the adjacent Bosque de Chapultepec.
These trees with their bright purple flowers are everywhere in Mexico City. For the greatest part of the year they are completely unassuming trees, with a thick foliage on their wide branches, giving a welcome filter to the intense sun, and supplying much needed oxygen to the dirty air of the city. In March and April, however, their flowers add so much color to the otherwise monotonous grey of this concrete jungle, that I can easily say: this is my favorite time of the year!
Constant Purple Carpeting
When in bloom, Jacarandas become unmistakable. It surprises me each time how many of them there are everywhere. At this time they grow a proper cloud of purpleness high up above the streets and buildings. In a week or so, they should also offer a nice purple carpeting on the ground, while the tree grows more flowers above. So sure, the fallen petals may be swept away by the wind and the locals, the tree is going to add more.
A Forest Only by Name
For seeing more trees, Jacarandas and others, one has to go to the Bosque de Chapultepec. The name literally means "Grasshopper-hill Forest", but the place is nothing like an actual forest. It's much rather a city park. Similarly, the nearest actual forest, outside the city to the west, is called Desierto de los Leones meaning "Loins' Desert" though it is not a desert, and it doesn't have any lions in it.
So when you go to the Bosque de Chapultepec don't expect any underbrush, thick, soft forest ground, or much wildlife. Instead, it is an artificially maintained savanna look-alike, with paved walking paths, and manicured lawns under the trees. Given the fact that this is the end of the dry season, all the grass has dried up, so even for a park it's not the finest example right now. Still, it's so much nicer to be there than in the city that surrounds it.
A South American Tree Brought by a Japanese
As typical as the Jacaranda is for Mexico today, it is in fact not endemic to this place. It comes from South America (Paraguay and Brazil), as the name is of Guaraní origin, meaning fragrant. It was introduced to Mexico City in the beginning of the 20th century by a Japanese gardener called Tasuguro Matsumoto, and his son Sanshiro. The president of the time, Álvaro Obregón, found such liking in these trees with their beautiful purple flowers, that he had several of them planted along the major streets of the city. This was the beginning of the Jacaranda craze in Mexico City, which has continued to this day.
Forest Day Challenge
Unlike last year, I'm nowhere near a forest right now. Still, I hope that these pics of blooming trees, and a park whose name has "forest" in it, will be appreciated for the International Forest Day Callenge, posted by @eco-alex. Ahhhm, yeah, the International Forest Day was yesterday, the day of the Equinox, so once again, I'm not entirely on spot. Still, I hope you enjoyed my pics!
All photos were taken by myself, with my Asus Zenfone Max Plus.
Sources: 1, 2
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Aren't they just splendid! Such a striking splash of colour.
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wow so beautiful
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I love Jacaranda trees! The only drawback is that when they fall, they attract a lot of bees. When I was a toddler, I used to get stug by a lot of them while running barefoot on Jacaranda petals...
Oh, that didn't even occur to me, but it makes sense: even on the ground they exude a strong scent, and are probably still full of nectar. No wonder bees love them!
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Hey, @stortebeker.
I saw the title with Chapultepec in it and I just had to stop! :)
My wife grew up in Neza, so the times she and our boys have gone (or me, when I've been able to go), there's always a trip to Chapultepec park. Generally, we've ended up in the Anthropology Museum. Somehow, I've managed to miss the forest part, and now I'm wondering how that even happened!
I can see on the map that it's kind of central east of that whole park area, so maybe we've come in on the other side? We've generally ridden the metro and then walked from there the times I've actually gone.
So, I guess the next time I go, there's more now to explore. I'd love to see the Jacaranda trees in bloom. :)
The park stretches from Metro Chapultpepec, close to the Chapultepec Castle all the way out into the western neighborhoods of Lomas, where it is less manicured. But Cd Neza... that's a whole different world. So close (okay, even spatially it isn't that close), yet so far away.
From what I remember, it is a fair jaunt to get from where my wife's family lives to Chapultepec. The only place I've ever ridden on a subway train, and although it was crowded during certain times of the day, it wasn't that bad during others. Just had to time it right.
I much preferred that way of travel than coming back in taxis. Combis are kind of fun (as long as you're sitting next to someone who doesn't mind if you fall over them when you get bounced around :).
I really don't know much about Neza other than the neighborhoods where my wife's family lives. Obviously it's different than the Park area and surrounding business and downtown districts. We could get lost in the museum, there's so much to look at.
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