JAC’D UP: Purplish-blue trees hope to inspire Town festival
Long-time Beach resident Barb Hill has a vision to color Fort Myers Beach a purplish tint.
The life-long gardener and her committee recently conducted a first round of plantings of the Jacaranda tree (15 in one day) on Estero Island. They have a second round of plantings slated for the third week in May, roughly the time when the tree reaches full bloom.
The ‘Jacaranda Project’ doesn’t stop there, however. Hill is encouraging the planting of at least 200 Jacaranda trees on Fort Myers Beach during this spring/summer of 2014 and 2015. Then, in 2016, at the height of May’s Jacaranda bloom, the committee is envisioning an inaugural Jacaranda Festival on the island. The proposed weekend long festival would be “community wide and attract both locals and tourists with its unique activities and focus.”
Hill pitched that idea to Town Council members on April 7, and then to FMB Chamber business members last Thursday.
“I’m thinking of the different things we can do as a town to promote this tree and its color,” she said. “To those who say I can’t plant that tree because it will block my sign, I say it might draw an eye to your whole building if your tree is in bloom. That burst of color makes such a difference.”
While the Jacaranda tree is not indigenous to the state (South America is their native home), it is designated as Florida friendly. Having a town tree festival in a state whose name originates from ‘flora’ would makes sense, wouldn’t it?
“These trees grow all over the world,” said Hill. “In the United States, you can find them in California, Texas and Florida. But, Australia is the only place in the world that has a festival.”
When Hill took a Master Gardener course with Steve Brown of Lee County Extension services after moving to Florida from Tennessee, she approached him about the flowering tree.
“He told me that it was noninvasive, it didn’t need much fertilizing except when you get it started, and that it was a well-managed tree,” she said.
Years passed, but the Jacaranda tree remained in Hill’s mind. In fact, it was only last year at a neighbor’s party that the 36-year resident gained a new perspective of the tree.
“I went out on his lanai and saw this beautiful purple tree in full bloom. It was in my yard, but it was the first time I looked at it from that advantage point. I was just knocked out.”
Her friend, Century 21 TriPower Realty broker Judy Haataja, told Hill that it was “the most beautiful tree she ever saw” and wanted one for her own yard. Hill wished more people shared that desire.
“Wouldn’t it be great if we all started planting that tree all over the island,” Hill replied.
After her conversation with Hattaja, Hill spoke to FMB Chamber President Bud Nocera with a thought about the Beach having a Jacarada Festival. He endorsed the idea, and the ball was rolling.
Haataja was one of Hill’s first customers, purchasing two trees -one for her office and one as a donation to Beach Elementary. Two other people followed suit, and the Beach school now has three trees to the right of its former entrance.
“The kindergarteners came out and helped plant the tree,” she said. “Even the landscapers got so impressed, because they got so into it. We even had one purple bloom that the kids got to see.”
Hill is hoping more businesses -banks, Beach Fire, Town Hall, condominiums, churches- incorporate them in their landscape plan and residents wish to improve the streetscape in their neighborhoods by planting them on their properties.
“Just think how beautiful the boulevard would be if we had beautiful Jacarandas all the way down,” she said. “How nice would it be to leave it as a memorial for someone?”
The upcoming rainy season is the best time to plant a Jacaranda. Hill quoted a 15-gallon size sells for $194, while a 25-gallon one costs $368. The actual planting of the tree is included in the costs.
For more information on how to obtain a jacaranda and how you can help, go to www.jacarandatreefestfmb.com or call Hill at 765-1965.
Step father inspiration
When she first broke into the Real Estate field some 26 years ago, Hill was selling a property to her stepfather, Joe Stonis, in Cape Coral. At that time, many lots out there were treeless. That pushed Stonis and Hill’s mother to get into beautification.
“My stepfather decided he was going to change things and plant trees. He did here, there and everywhere. And he was 91 years old,” said Hill. “He almost caused builders to have a heart attack because he wanted an ordinance passed that said you could not put a new house on a lot without two shade trees. They passed that ordinance because of Joe.”
Due to relentless beautification work in his community, Stonis received the National Arbor Day Foundation award in Nebraska in 1999. He was among two noted fellow honorees: Rock Star Ted Nugent and former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
Hill would like Fort Myers Beach to pick up that award one day as well.
“When you plant trees, you are leaving a legacy for future generations,” she said. “Think purple.”