Lockdown beauty: Jacaranda trees with purple flowers beautify picturesque Kathmandu

While the country remains in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Jacaranda trees have decorated the roads of Kathmandu with its purple flowers, adding to the spectacular beauty of deserted hilly roads and meager population.

While Nepal remains under lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic, roads in Kathmandu are lined up with jacaranda trees and their purple flowers, adding to the spectacular beauty of deserted hilly roads and meager population. "The ongoing lockdown and the fast spreading pandemic have limited the people to only to their homes. But the Jacaranda trees which are already in full bloom are bringing spectacular colour and vibe to the Nepal's capital city. People walk under a blooming jacaranda tree in Kathmandu and relax themselves amid stifling conditions," Shreekrishna Subedi, a local from capital Kathmandu told ANI.

These exquisite flowers are the harbinger of spring in the Himalayan country as it blossoms at the end of March and the beginning of April. It is believed that Rana rulers, who ruled the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 A.D until 1951 A.D, brought in the Jacaranda trees 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, which explains 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. (ANI)