The Jacaranda tree (Jacaranda mimosifolia) produces blue flowers in the spring and early summer which color the sky and ground an ethereal blue-purple color as they fall, making one feel as if in a fairytale.
The City of Pretoria in South Africa is known as The Jacaranda City, as there are numerous Jacarandas planted there that turn the city blue in the springtime.
I guess others don’t quite feel so romantic when they see the Jacaranda bloom, however, because in Queensland, they refer to student stress during exam times (when it blooms) as the “purple panic,” where it is also known as the Exam Tree.
The Jacaranda leaves, bark, fruits (seeds) or flowers are used in traditional medicine for a wide range of uses, including as an antimicrobial, for neuralgia, varicose veins, skin infections and other skin conditions, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
Warm baths in Jacaranda leaves have been recommended for wound healing and skin health.
A flower essence of Jacaranda is used for supporting focus in those people who have a tendency towards dithering.
Among the activities found through scientific investigation are antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, hypothermic, cardiovascular depressive, hypotensive, and alpha-adrenergic activities.
Scientific investigation has found the water extract to have a higher antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli than gentamicin sulfate. It is also antimicrobial against Staphylococcus aureus.
Jacaranone, the most significant single chemical constituent isolated from Jacaranda exhibits anti-cancer activity, and research continues into its future application. Other bioactive compounds are present, including a high amount of flavonoids, as well as esters, fatty acids, and monosaccharides.
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*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.