A roundup of Kunming's hottest internet-famous check-in spots: the Jacaranda trees on Jiaochang Middle Road are sure to make the list.

Number of days: 1 day
Time: May
With whom: and friends
Tour kinds: Photography, Humanities, Free Travel, Hiking, Small Business, Weekend Tour
The author went to these places: Kunming
Updated: 2022.07.31

For Kunming residents, flower viewing is no luxury. In Kunming, where flowers abound at all times, no matter the season, flowers are indispensable. Season after season, trees after trees, their leaves sway and bloom incessantly.

By the end of April and the beginning of May, jacaranda trees become a unique feature of Kunming's streets. This species, introduced to Kunming just over 20 years ago, has taken root there, adorning numerous green roads and beautiful courtyards. Their unique colors and beautiful flower shapes bring a purple mist, a romantic and charming summer to Kunming.

While jacarandas can be seen in many places, Jiaochang Middle Road boasts the most concentrated area, and their blooms are the most stunning. Seeing a map on our phone, we saw there was a place called the "Jacaranda Theme Leisure Park," which drew us in to see what it was all about.

We chose a sunny day and headed to Jiaochang Middle Road to see the jacarandas. It's a truly beautiful place. If you were to count Kunming's most popular online check-in spots right now, this one would definitely be on the list.

Jiaochang Middle Road is located in the northern part of Kunming, south of the Second Ring Road North. As a major urban thoroughfare, it experiences heavy traffic and is densely populated with residential communities and businesses, making parking very scarce.

During rush hour, the road is choked with all manner of vehicles. Therefore, to see the flowers on Jiaochang Middle Road, it's recommended to take a bus or taxi, as several buses stop there.

Thanks to online publicity and community development, the jacaranda landscape on Jiaochang Middle Road has become increasingly beautiful. I remember when I visited the flowers last year, the road was undergoing renovations, and it was so crowded and chaotic that even taking a photo without other people was a luxury. Only after I went there did I realize how much things have changed.

The renovation and upgrading of Jiaochang Middle Road has been completed. It feels like the road has been widened significantly. Irregularly distributed on the smooth asphalt surface are some purple flowers. They are the fallen petals of jacaranda trees. After being crushed by cars, they blend into the asphalt road, creating a unique landscape. The sidewalks along both sides of the street have been significantly widened. Beneath the towering jacaranda trees, there are sidewalks over two meters wide, and several meters wide garden paths. Stone benches are placed at intervals for tired pedestrians to rest. Numerous creative huts and small stands, in red, purple, and pink, have been built among the jacaranda trees, complementing the blossoms along the way. A long wall is covered with jacaranda-related paintings and murals depicting life in old Kunming. These murals hold fond memories and provide a wonderful backdrop for photos.

The most eye-catching sight is naturally the jacaranda trees, which are in full bloom. The flowers are clustered together, with strings of petals like little bells strung together. They dangle from the branches and sway in the wind. The clusters and layers of petals transform the tree into a romantic purple crown. The leaves of the Jacaranda tree are also unique, vibrant green, full of life. Tiny, evenly spaced openings, like the teeth of a comb, allow sunlight to filter through the gaps, casting a speckled pattern that dances with the blossoms, a truly beautiful sight. Depending on the blooming season, the purple of the flowers changes from darker to lighter, richer to lighter, like a rising purple mist. Like a wisp of purple cloud, it drifts across the long road, a truly beautiful sight.

If we go back 30 or 40 years, Kunming residents would have known about a place called Beijiaochang, located in the northern part of the city, north of Lianhuachi. Back then, Kunming was very small. Past the North Railway Station and the Ring Road, you'd reach the suburbs. The difference between the urban and suburban areas was stark, with narrow roads and few buses, making commuting difficult. The name "Bei Jiaochang" (North Jiaochang Field) has a history. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was a site for military parades, martial arts exercises, drills, and garrisons, hence the name "Jiaochang." Its geographical location distinguished it from the Jiaochang field to the south, hence the name "Bei Jiaochang Field." With the advancement of Kunming's urban development, Bei Jiaochang Field has undergone tremendous changes. Jiaochang West Road, Jiaochang North Road, Jiaochang East Road, and Jiaochang Middle Road have become a network of roads, high-rise buildings, and popular shops and markets. It has become a bustling urban district.

The Jacaranda tree is a deciduous tree native to Brazil, South America. It was introduced to Kunming in 1984, and after continuous cultivation and adjustment, it finally took root in the city. Its use as a tree for urban landscaping came even later. We once read a report that during the urban renewal and new green belt construction in Kunming's Beijiaochang area, coinciding with the successful introduction of Jacaranda and the preparations for its widespread application, hundreds of Jacaranda trees were planted along various roads in the Beijiaochang area, particularly along Jiaochang Middle Road, as a somewhat experimental practice. It was this experiment over 20 years ago that transformed Jiaochang Middle Road into a beautiful Jacaranda Avenue, renowned far and wide as a romantic flower street.

Over 250 jacaranda trees are planted along Jiaochang Middle Road. These nearly 30-year-old trees have trunks as thick as bowls, large crowns, and concentrated plantings. When the jacaranda trees along Jiaochang Middle Road bloom, they create a breathtaking spectacle that is truly breathtaking. Unlike cherry blossoms, which bloom before leaves, jacarandas appear to grow leaves first and then bloom. When all the green leaves have fallen, leaving the tree covered in purple and blue blossoms, the jacaranda enters its peak bloom. The flowers then slowly fall and wither, and new leaves sprout.

Once a desolate and empty countryside, Jiaochang Middle Road has become a popular street in Kunming thanks to the use of jacaranda trees as street trees.

If you also like this romantic purple mist rising, then go to Jiaochang Middle Road to see the flowers. It's a date with the jacarandas, which is really beautiful.

Tips:

1. To go to Jiaochang Middle Road to see the jacarandas, it is recommended to take a bus or taxi. Buses 168, 187, and 65 all stop at the Jiaochang Middle Road bus stop.

2. Jiaochang Middle Road is a major thoroughfare, not a park. When visiting the jacaranda trees there, please be sure to pay attention to safety. Also, try to avoid rush hour traffic.