Kowloon Park

The first thing you see is the Golden Dewdrops outside the circular flower garden. Its violet-blue flowers always attract butterflies to sip the nectar. Paris Peacock (Papilio paris), Common Tiger (Danaus genutia), Ceylon Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis similis) are regular visitors. At the centre of the flower garden are Chinese Ixora and the purple False Heather. Red Helen (Papilio helenus) and Pale Grass Blue (Pseudozizeeria maha) often visit too.

The tree on the stone wall by the steps outside the aviary is Chinese Banyan. Chinese Banyan is one of the most common evergreen trees in Hong Kong. It has abundant aerial roots, extending to the stone wall and developed into the trunk, just like a 3D painting. Trees on stone walls form special urban scenery in Hong Kong! The banyan is also a caterpillar food plant for Common Indian Crow (Euploea core) and Common Mapwing (Cyrestis thyodamas).

At the end of the steps, at the roadside near the ground, you may find clusters of small violet blue flowers named Blue Eranthemum (its Chinese name means “Lovely Flower”). Just as its name suggests, the flower is petite and lovely. It’s also the favourite food for caterpillars of Common Spotted Flat (Celaenorrhinus leucocera) and Lemon Pansy (Junonia lemonias).

The Colour Garden has a variety of food plants for butterfly caterpillars, including Spider Tree which is the favourite of Great Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe) and (Pieris spp.) caterpillars. There are also the "three brothers" of senna: Golden-shower, Sunshine Tree and Kassod Tree. All bear yellow flowers and are favourites of caterpillars of Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona), Mottled Emigrant (Catopsilia pyranthe) and Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe). There is a wide variety of plants for caterpillars in the Colour Garden, attracting many female butterflies to lay eggs.

Walking towards the labyrinth, there are numerous Dwarf Date Palm. The thorny trunk does not deter the larvae of Indian Palm Bob (Suastus gremius) and Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra) from eating its leaves!

The big trees here make it a good place to enjoy the cool shade. At the central location is a big Camphor Tree. When the leaves are crumpled, they emit a strong smell of mothballs. Although the mothball-like smell deters worms, it cannot stop the caterpillars of Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon) and Tawny Rajah (Charaxes bernardus) from feeding on them. It attracts many butterflies during the flowering period in April to May.

Here you can often smell the familiar nice fragrance of the White Jade Orchid Tree. It bears the small white flowers that we often see elderly people selling in small bags on the streets. White Jade Orchid is the food for caterpillars of Common Jay (Graphium doson) and Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon). Watching beneath a White Jade Orchid, it is not difficult to find Common Jay and Tailed Jay laying eggs here.

Here you may also find Hong Kong Hawthorn and Chinese Ixora, the “Dragon Boat Flower”. Chinese lxora bears orange flowers, like a hydrangea in full bloom. It is called “Dragon Boat Flower” as it blossoms near the Dragon Boat Festival every year. Hong Kong Hawthorn and Chinese lxora usually attract Swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae) including Common Mormon (Papilio polytes) and Paris Peacock (Papilio paris).

We love to eat mangoes and so do butterflies! But they love the leaves instead. Caterpillars of Baron (Euthalia aconthea) and White-edged Blue Baron (Euthalia phemius) are great fans. You can readily find them on mango trees.