Jacarandas add shades of purple to Fallbrook's landscape

With little rain this year, wild flowers in Fallbrook have been rare sightings. Without my favorite one, the California poppy, to look for, any hint of a bright color, among the many shades of green populating Fallbrook, is a welcome sight.

As in many warm-weather places, the first blooming of the jacarandas indicated that summer was almost here, the lavender flowers appearing the end of May. While they are not native to San Diego County, jacarandas are a good match for Fallbrook as they are not only drought tolerant but bloom more heavily during droughts.

The jacaranda is so popular it was de...