Jacaranda mimosifolia (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Jacaranda mimosifolia (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Jacaranda mimosifolia Bignoniaceae Brazil
Common names
- English: Jacaranda, Brazilian rosewood
- Amargna: Yetebmenja zaf
Ecology
A popular tree widely grown as an ornamental throughout the highland tropics. It grows in most soils except waterlogged ones, and is deep rooted. In Ethiopia, it is most common in highland areas but can also grow in some drier ones. It grows well in Moist and Wet upper Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones, 1,300–2,400 m.
Uses
Firewood, tool handles, carvings, poles, bee forage, shade, ornamental, windbreak.
Description
A deciduous tree up to 20 m with spreading branches making a light crown.
- BARK: Pale grey and smooth, rough and peeling with age.
- LEAVES: Compound and feathery on a stalk to 40 cm, up to 30 pairs of pinnae bearing the little pointed leaflets.
- FLOWERS: Striking blue-violet, in clusters, each flower bell shaped to 4 cm, usually on the bare tree before leaf growth.
- FRUIT: Rounded, woody capsules to 7 cm across with a wavy edge, brown-black when mature, splitting on the tree to set free many light winged seeds. Capsules may hang on the tree for 2 years.
Propagation
Seedlings, wildings.
Seed
Seeds profusely. Germination rate 50–85 %. 63,000–80,000 seed per kg.
- Treatment: Not necessary.
- Storage: Seed does not store well. Sow fresh seed for best results.
Management
Very fast growing on good sites. Lopping, pollarding, coppicing, pruning (young trees).
Remarks
A greedy feeder with an aggressive root system. Few plants or crops can grow below this tree and it is unsuitable for intercropping. Jacaranda is a genus of a few dozen members, mainly trees and shrubs of tropical American origin.
