Parcs i Jardins has counted 5,631 jacaranda trees in Barcelona, creating the signature lavender splash that adorns the city each spring. Native to northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia, this South American tree has integrated seamlessly into Barcelona's urban landscape for over a century. Experts praise its resilience to local conditions and low share of the total tree population.
Jacaranda mimosifolia, whose name comes from the Guaraní yacarandá meaning 'hard wood,' blooms in bluish clusters forming iconic scenes in cities like Barcelona, Mexico City, or Pretoria. Introduced to the Catalan capital over a century ago, some of the first specimens were planted by urban planner Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier for the 1929 Universal Exposition.
"It is a tree that works very well," says Pere de Mas, head of Tree Management at Parcs i Jardins. It withstands frosts due to Barcelona's climate, endures drought, adapts to compact soils, and its size suits medium sidewalks perfectly.
The City Council aims to diversify species so none exceeds 15% of the total, with jacarandas at just 2%, leaving room for expansion. One third are in Nou Barris and Sant Andreu, while Eixample leads in street alignments. The oldest specimen dates to 1904 in a private garden on Alfonso XII street in Gràcia, with a notable group of nine in Sagrada Família square.
In Argentina, it was rejected as the national emblem in 1942 for the ceibo, though both Argentine trees thrive in Barcelona, such as the large ceibo at Aragó and Enamorats.
