Call to preserve Pretoria’s jacaranda trees

PRETORIA’S jacaranda trees should be conserved, preserved, protected and regarded as natural features of cultural significance wherever they stand in bloom.

This is according to historian and archaeologist Anton van Vollenhoven.

Yesterday, he said jacaranda trees, which are already blooming across the capital, should be protected as they were natural cultural heritage resources of importance.

Van Vollenhoven was speaking during a virtual presentation on jacaranda trees organised by the Ditsong Museum in collaboration with the City’s arts, culture and library services division, and the community and social development services department.

As it stood, he said there existed legislation in which the trees were already recognised as a natural heritage. And although they were not native to South Africa, Van Vollenhoven said they had a history that stretched back to November 16, 1906, when JD Clark, a florist, nurseryman and seedsman, donated 200 trees for the 51st anniversary of the founding of Pretoria because he thought they were beautiful.