PHOTOS: Rare White Jacaranda Trees Flowering in Pretoria, South Africa
It’s that time of the year again, in South Africa. Jacaranda time! And the streets of Pretoria never fail to impress. Most of us are used to the famous purple jacaranda trees that herald the approach of exams, but today (Sat 23 Oct), teacher and regular SAPeople contributor, Andrea Ben, captured these photos of the […]
It’s that time of the year again, in South Africa. Jacaranda time! And the streets of Pretoria never fail to impress. Most of us are used to the famous purple jacaranda trees that herald the approach of exams, but today (Sat 23 Oct), teacher and regular SAPeople contributor, Andrea Ben, captured these photos of the more rare white jacarandas in Herbert Baker Street, Pretoria.
“I’ve never seen white jacarandas,” says Andrea. “So good for the heart and soul. A spectacular view…”
According to Tshwane resident Ria Viljoen there are about 100 of the pure white jacaranda trees planted on one side of Herbert Baker Street. She says the trees are apparently sterile, but are a cultivar for their purple sister, from which they mutated. The purple flowers of the jacaranda (jakaranda) are the natural colour and over 99.9% of seedlings will bear purple flowers… making the white extremely rare. 
Follow Andrea Ben on Beautiful South Africa for more gorgeous photos of the land she loves, SA!
If you’d like to see them for yourself, visit Groenkloof and Wonderboom in Pretoria, South Africa.