Jacarandas in Los Angeles

Jacaranda trees, particularly the Jacaranda mimosifolia species, are a striking feature of Los Angeles’ landscape, known for their vibrant purple-blue blossoms that transform the city’s streets into a violet spectacle. Native to South America, primarily Argentina and Brazil, these subtropical trees were introduced to Southern California in the early 20th century, largely thanks to horticulturist Kate Sessions. Sessions, renowned for her work in San Diego’s Balboa Park, began experimenting with exotic species in the 1890s and later brought jacarandas to Los Angeles, where they flourished in the region’s warm, Mediterranean-like climate. By the 1920s and ‘30s, they had become a popular ornamental tree across the city, their vivid blooms earning them a reputation as LA’s answer to Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossoms.

In Los Angeles, jacarandas typically bloom from late spring to early summer, with flowers appearing between April and June, though warm weather can trigger blossoms as early as March. Unlike their native habitat, where blooming is more predictable, LA’s jacarandas respond to local environmental cues like heat and light, leading to some variability—trees on one block might burst into color while those nearby remain bare. Historically, they bloomed twice a year, with a second, less reliable flowering in the fall around September, but climate shifts have made this rarer in recent decades. The trees grow 25 to 40 feet tall with wide, lacy canopies, dropping sticky petals and seed pods that delight some residents and annoy others due to the mess they leave behind.

Today, Los Angeles is home to tens of thousands of jacarandas—estimates suggest around 20,000 line public streets in the city alone, with over 58,000 across LA and Orange Counties combined. They thrive in hot, sunny areas, making neighborhoods like Westwood, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Santa Ana hotspots for their density. Specific streets, such as Ayres Avenue in Westwood, Stansbury Avenue in Sherman Oaks, and Del Mar Boulevard in Pasadena, are celebrated for their stunning purple canopies. While beloved for their beauty, jacarandas also spark a love-hate relationship among Angelenos—their fallen blossoms can coat cars in sticky residue and turn sidewalks into slippery carpets, a trade-off for their fleeting, fairy-tale charm.

As of March 28, 2025, the jacaranda bloom season is just beginning to stir in Los Angeles. With spring underway, you might catch early blossoms in the coming weeks, especially if temperatures rise. For now, the trees are likely still in their pre-bloom phase, their bare branches hinting at the purple explosion to come.