Vizag Streets Awash With Flowers, But Butterflies Are Missing
Visakhapatnam: The streets and boulevards of Visakhapatnam are filled with colorful flowers, thanks to the rows of flowering trees. Blooming African Tulip, Pink Trumpet, Tabebuia Aura and Tecoma Stans give the city its red, pink and yellow hues. But butterflies are a rare sight.
S. Appanna, a passionate researcher on butterfly ecology, points out that the city’s beautification efforts are mostly based on decorative exotics. Although these trees are visually striking, they fail to host caterpillars.
“Ornamental exotics dominate the scene, but do not support caterpillars that turn into butterflies,” explains Appanna.
African Tulip (Spahodea campanulata), Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea) and Fountain Tree are nectar-rich species that attract adult butterflies. However, do not provide the necessary vegetation for butterfly larvae to feed and grow. Without host plants, butterflies cannot complete their life cycle, and despite the abundance of flowers, the city’s butterfly population remains meager.
Native to Africa, the African Tulip is prized for its fiery red-orange flowers and is widely grown in tropical regions. Native to Central and South America, the Pink Trumpet Tree produces delicate pink flowers that light up the streets. However, both are limited to being sources of nectar only. Fountain Tree, another name for Spathodea campanulata, shares the same limitations.
Such species highlight the paradox of urban greening: beauty without ecological balance. The scarcity of native host plants explains why butterflies appear transiently during flowering seasons but never have thriving populations.
The proof of this dilemma is not far away, in Vizag itself. The city’s Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) offers an ecological predictive model. Thanks to conscious plant selection, the butterfly park started to become active in the region.
IGZP education officer Divya emphasized that the nectar plants in the zoo provide energy to adult butterflies, while the existing plants provide a complete ecological cycle by feeding the larvae.
Fancy Lantana, locally known as Pulikampa, attracts Swallowtails, Birdwings and Blue Tiger butterflies. Supports Hibiscus, Blue Tiger, Common Lime and Crimson Rose butterflies. Some plants, such as Cherry Pie, play a dual role by providing nectar while providing alkaloids vital to male reproduction. Tigers, Indian Crows and King Crows thrive in its presence. Similarly, the Peacock Flower supports a variety of species, from Common Mormon to Pale Black Rajah butterflies.
Native trees add depth to the zoo park’s ecosystem. While the Ashoka tree supports Oriental Wag Jay butterflies, Magnolia champaca is indispensable for Wag Jay butterflies. Creepers such as Blue Morning Glory and Thunbergia grandiflora provide vertical diversity, supporting Swallowtails and Roses.
IGZP Nursery department ensures sustainability by propagating plants with seeds and cuttings. Nerium oleander supports the Common Crow, while Globe Amaranth and Marigold attract Pansies and Crows, keeping butterfly activity alive throughout the year.
The streets of Visakhapatnam can be dazzling with exotic flowers. But IGZP shows that real beauty lies in the balance where butterflies find not only nectar but also a home in which their caterpillars can thrive.
