Many people mistaken jacaranda for shirish. See, so jacaranda also known as “ jacaranda mimosifolia” its scientific name was originated in the south-western of Argentina. And the shirish’s scientific name is“albizia lebbeck”.But the main part is jacaranda gets mistaken for shirish specially in Nepal and also many other countries. Shirish is a tree which was originated in Nepal. They have a lot differences but at the same time they are quite similar too!
People believe this tree were brought in Nepal by the ranas during the late 1900’s. The first plantation of the jacaranda tree is believed to be in the 1920 by Sur Shumsher Rana in his own private garden near Durbarmarg, Kathmandu. Therefore, in that place there is Yak and Yeti hotel currently. Jacaranda is planted in the kathmandu city symbolizing peace and elegance from the kathmandu metropolitan.
Now lets talk about the similarities and differences between jacaranda and albizia lebbeck (shirish’s scientific name).
Jacaranda has large clusters of trumpet shaped flowers. It also has rough and round seed pods while albizia lebbeck has fluffy pom-pom like flowers and its seed pods are long and flat.
Their colours are really different, jacaranda has lavender, purple and a bluish violet colors while albizia lebbeck has originally just one color which is creamy white or pale yellow they might have more colors but they are rare to find. Jacaranda’s leaves are fern-like textured with many small leaflets giving the tree a feathery appearance. Each leaf can reach up to 20 inches long.
It is also a deciduous tree. While, albizia lebbeck’s leaves are characterized structure featuring numerous leaflets arranged around the leaf axis. It has a compound shaped leaf style and the leaf can grow about 15 inches long. Jacaranda tree can live upto 50 to 100 years approximately. It grows in the temperate zone around 2,000 metre. Albizia lebbeck trees live upto 25 to 30 years approximately and grow in the wilderness in the tropical zone around 15,00 metre. Jacaranda tree can grow above 50 feet while the seedling can be of 10 feet. Albizia lebbeck tree grows upto 51 to 71 feet high.
People still mistaken these two precious tree called jacaranda and shirish. Now before you identify the tree for jacaranda or shirish check its color and its leaf shape and also it flowers. You never know when jacaranda is shirish or shirish is jacaranda right?
Thankyou!
Aakriti Pandeya
Nisarga Batika School
CLASS 5 Section B
