One of our favourite seasons in Mexico City is March, and the reason behind this is the whole city is painted purple due to the Jacaranda Blossom season. It’s a beautiful display and it makes residents very happy. 

 

The Jacaranda tree is not originally from Mexico but Brazil. There are a few stories behind how these trees arrived in Mexico. 

One version relates to a Mexican President requesting Cherry trees from Japan to emulate those gifted to Washington DC in 1912. However, upon considering the contrast in local climates, Japan instead gifted the more suited Jacaranda trees. 

 

The second version considers the introduction of Jacarandas to Mexico City the work of a Japanese immigrant gardener who used Jacarandas to emulate Cherry blossoms in private gardens for his clients.

 

The final version credits an important ecologist called Miguel Angel de Quevedo who created many of the parks in Mexico City and was known for introducing non-native plant species. He considered the Jacaranda wood to be the perfect defence against the wind and introduced the tree along the wide, open boulevards of Insurgentes and Paseo de la Reforma. The tree gained popularity for its aesthetic appeal and was soon all over the city.

​

Alameda Central 2019

Image by @Santiago_Arau