Editorial photo #12333058 Human Interest
Kathmandu Valley Turns Purple As Jacaranda Blooms
Nepali girls pluck Jacaranda flowers from a tree along a highway in Lalitpur, Nepal, on May 4, 2025. Known as Jacaranda Mimosifolia, the purple flowers decorate the Kathmandu Valley and have maintained this tradition for a century and a half. Every year, the roads of the Kathmandu Valley are painted purple with the flowers of the Jacaranda, also called the Hawaiian mimosa tree, which cannot resist breeze and light showers. It is believed that Rana rulers introduced the plant, which grows from cutting or grafting by seedling rootstock and normally takes two to three years to bloom. This genus thrives in full sun and sandy soils, explaining their abundance in warmer climates. Mature plants can survive in colder climates down to -7 ?C (19 ?F); however, they may not bloom as profusely. Younger plants are more fragile and may not survive in colder climates when temperatures drop below freezing. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)
