(Lisbon) Every spring, the streets of Lisbon are covered in vibrant tones of blue and mauve. The image of jacarandas in flower, an exotic tree introduced in the 19th century, has become one of the postcards of the Portuguese capital.
“Jacarandas are found throughout the country, but it is in Lisbon that they have adapted best” to the local climate, explains to AFP Ana Luisa Soares, the director of the Ajuda botanical garden, where planted the first trees imported from Brazil, one of the former Portuguese colonies.
Jacaranda trees were introduced to Portugal in the early 19th century, when the royal family was exiled to Brazil to escape French invasions.
During the king’s absence, the blue color of this tree, associated with the monarchy, made it a means of “displaying royal power”, notes the Lisbon Tourist Office on its website.
Jacarandas spread thanks to Félix Avelar Botero, considered the father of botany in Portugal, who “then began to offer seeds of this tree” all over the city, specifies Mme Soares.
This landscape architect is at the head of a botanical garden founded in the 18th century which brings together numerous species from former Portuguese colonies in Africa, South America and Asia.
Since their introduction, the number of jacaranda trees has continued to grow in the capital.
“It’s a tree that doesn’t present many problems. It has a great longevity, it flowers almost always. It is a species that has adapted exceptionally well,” explains one of the managers of the Environment Department at Lisbon City Hall, Ana Julia Francisco.
“Fairy”
Even today, the municipality continues to plant jacaranda trees, avoiding windy places, where they have more difficulty developing.
On Rossio Square, the nerve center of old Lisbon with its black and white cobblestones, or in the streets leading to the Marquis of Pombal roundabout, the large central square of the capital, we find jacaranda trees in the most popular neighborhoods. more touristy.
In the age of Instagram and social networks, tourists, who like to take photos of themselves in front of the flowering trees and the carpets of purple petals covering the sidewalks of the capital when they begin to fall, contribute to their popularity.
” That’s wonderful ! “, exclaims Cheryl Mitchel, a 76-year-old retiree from Atlanta, United States, who enjoys taking photos of them.
“It’s very spring-like. It’s magical. I think it represents Lisbon well,” said Magali Cirillo, a 34-year-old French social worker, on vacation in Lisbon.
Also very popular with Lisbon residents, jacarandas sometimes attract some criticism due to the inconvenience caused by the flowers which fall to the ground and decompose, covering the sidewalks with a sticky substance.
When planting new trees, the municipality tries to avoid as much as possible places that could create inconveniences for local residents.
“But their beauty is worth some inconvenience!” », assures Mme Francisco with a smile.