'Returned home with a seedling': How the Jacaranda tree became a national treasure

It's that time of the year again – stunning pops of colour from some of our favourite flora are everywhere as the weather starts to warm up.

And there's one thing in particular Sydneysiders, and tourists, certainly love about springtime: the iconic Jacaranda trees popping up around our Harbour City, and other parts of Australia too.

You may have heard the speculation that's been floating around for years that involves a midwife or two giving out seedlings of the distinctive purple tree – that's partly why the Jacaranda is so popular in South Sydney, they say.

Watch the video above.

The midwives and Jacaranda Hospital

It's claimed Sister Haxton – some claim her first name was Irene, while others claim it was Marg – and later Sister Beryl Alice Mullins gave out Jacaranda seeds upon the birth of children from their aptly-named Jacaranda Maternity Hospital in Woolooware, in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, from the 1950s and onwards.

This has been firmed up by stories of some family members.

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A local, Elizabeth MacDessi, previously told The Sydney Morning Herald of the sweet tradition: "In 1951 my mother gave birth to my sister there and returned home with a seedling."

More recently, this was revisted by radio host Brendan Jones on his Gold 101.7 Jonesy & Amanda radio show.

"In the olden days there was a nurse who used to give every mum that had a baby, a midwife this lady was... a little jacaranda tree to plant. It's all around Sydney," he said.

"I think she worked at the Women's Hospital and that's why you see a lot of them from the Shire up to the Northern Beaches, to the west to Blacktown... she must have owned a nursery as that's a lot of seedlings!"

"Bring it back, [a] tree for [every] baby born," one listener commented underneath an Instagram clip from the radio show and Jacaranda segment last week.

Another confirmed the theory, saying, "My parents were given a Jacaranda tree when they left Jacaranda Private Hospital when I was born. 68 years ago now."

"I hope people keep planting them everywhere. They make my heart happy," another added in part about the popularity of the trees.

The famous McDougall Street

Every Sydneysider knows this one!

McDougall Street in Sydney's Kirribilli is where locals and tourists alike flock for the perfect purple Instagram photo of the season.

The picture-perfect trees have been there for years and reportedly were arranged to be planted there by Lady Gowrie.

The jacaranda love is wide-reaching

Did you know there's an annual Jacaranda Festival celebrating all things about the iconic tree?

Grafton locals, you know what I'm talking about.

Each year, the Grafton Jacaranda Festival takes place in the city in NSW's Northern Rivers over To days in late October to November.

It's not been dubbed the Jacaranda Capital of Australia for nothing.

There's another festival in Perth, aptly called the Applecross Rotary's annual Jacaranda Festival, which takes place in late November.

Nine.com.au also came up with a great list of places you can see the Jacaranda trees in full bloom. You can read it, here.

Sydney.com lists places including Camden, The University of Sydney and even Hunters Hill and surrounding suburbs as other great spots to see some of the purple trees in Sydney.

In Queensland, some of the top spots include the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and in Victoria, a great option is also the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne.

According to the ABC, a past curator of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens claimed Australia's first Jacaranda tree was planted in the city.

Where did the tree originate and when is Jacaranda season?

Jacaranda season is now, from September/October to November.

While the trees are now iconic to the local Australian landscape, they're not native to Australia and actually come from South America and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in particular.

Botanist Allan Cunningham is said to be the man behind bringing the tree from its country of origin to the UK. From there it came across to Australia, according to Australian Geographic.

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