Purple “Ipês” Blooming in Porto Alegre
Porto
Alegre is the Brazilian capital with the highest number of trees per inhabitant
(more than one million trees, in 8 parks and more than 250 squares,
totalizing about 15m2 of green area per inhabitant). This ecological care has
already started in the XVIII century, got stronger in the 70’s of the last
century, and has continued to be enlarged and qualified in the last years.
In
a planned way or not, around 200 tree species, among regional and Brazilian ones,
besides the ones originated from other countries and continents, have been
planted in successive periods. Their periodical phenomena of blooming,
fructifying signal the different months and seasons of the year, with a great
variety of colors and shades.
The
vespers of spring, in August, is one of the most beautiful periods in the city:
it is the time when the purple ipês bloom (their flowers vary from a pink to a
purple color, passing by the violet) and also the azaleas (with lilac flowers),
dress the city in “pink”(or purple) everywhere.
The
purple ipês plantation in Porto Alegre started in the 30’s and 40’s of the
last century (as in Farroupilha Park and on Venâncio Aires Avenue). Some recent
plantations were also made on Ipiranga and Aureliano de Figueiredo Pinto
(“cascatinha”) Avenues.
The
scientific name for the purple ipê is Tabebuia Avellanadae. These are native
trees and they can be found all over Brazil. See the following beautiful images:
- August 25th,
2001:
1
- August 26th,
2001: 1,
2, 3,
4, 5,
6, 7,
8, 9,
10, 11,
12, 13,
14, 15,
16
