Sydney’s spring season bathes the city in vibrant colors, and one of the most prevalent shades is the gorgeous lively purple of the jacaranda trees. In fact, the magnificent plants that turn the streets of the Harbour City into a bona fide purple ocean have become so renowned around the world that many avid leaf watchers and tourists choose the exact time window when they blossom to visit. There is a lot more to these lush plants than meets the eye, and here is the absolute beauty of Sydney’s jacaranda trees.
The spring wonderland
The spring season in Sydney begins when autumn turns treetops auburn in the northern hemisphere. Since jacaranda trees bloom during this period, the best time to visit this city is between the middle of October and the middle of November – this is when jacaranda trees are in full bloom. In this corner of the world, they are as iconic as cherry blossoms are in Japan.
What are they?
Jacaranda trees belong to a family of flowering plants that are native to subtropical regions and they can be found mostly in Central and South America as well as some islands in the Caribbean, Spain, certain parts of Africa but mostly southern regions and, of course, Australia. The climate in this part of Australia is good for the cultivation of these trees as it is similar to the one found in Brazil, only a bit drier. In fact, exactly because the last winter was warm and dry, jacaranda trees have been flowering ahead of schedule.
Spring urban exploring
These trees adorn countless streets of Sydney and the surrounding suburbs, so if you want to have an ideal spring adventure in this hip city, find the most picturesque accommodation which can serve as your “base of operations”. The Old Clare Hotel in the suburb of Chippendale, which is located right next to the central business district, is an amazing hub for eager urban explorers that want to explore the Rocks, the Royal Botanic Gardens, and just take it from there.
The festivities
The city of Sydney loves its festivities and annuals, so finding a reason to mark a part of the year as special is not exactly something unfamiliar to the residents of the Harbour City. Quite aptly, the annual Jacaranda Festival is reserved for a week between October 28th and November the 5th – a time when the trees are in full bloom. The city boasts somewhere around 2,000 purple treetops “sprinkled” around the wider urban area, so if you want to enjoy the site of jacaranda, there are spots around town where you can find the most pronounced clusters.
What are the best hotspots?
Of course, as it has been mentioned, the Royal Botanic Gardens boast some of the lushest specimens, the oldest one dating back to the middle of the nineteenth century. You will also be able to see jacaranda trees around Circular Quay and the historical district known as the Rocks. If you want to explore the Eastern Suburbs, head along the Glenmore Road and Oxford Street. In the Inner Sydney, take a nice walk through the city’s eponymous university and see why the campus is such a popular gathering spot in this time of the year. Head to the North Shore to see the purple-lined streets of the Hunters Hills Trust and relish the McDougall Street in Kirribilli.
All in all, Eastern Suburbs and the North Shore are the best bet roughly speaking, but you can also head out of town for a short field trip to visit the town of Grafton on the north coast. This town is known as the jacaranda capital of Australia (although there is a debate about whether this honorific belongs to the city of Brisbane)!
If you get a chance to visit Sydney during the six to seven weeks while the jacaranda trees sway in the breeze in full bloom, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Artist Formerly Known as Prince strutted along the sidewalks of this city while the iconic song “Purple Rain” formed in his head. If you’ve never thought about visiting Sydney before the summer season begins, here is a good “excuse”, and you’ll find out why jacaranda trees have managed to enchant tourists and locals alike for decades.
