Horticulture

The magnificent landscaping at Adelaide Zoo is the result of more than 125 years of care and attention.

Our Horticulture department works hard to maintain the gardens and grounds within the Adelaide Zoo. They also create and maintain the naturalistic exhibits in all zoo enclosures. During your visit to the zoo you may choose to relax in the peaceful surroundings of our picturesque Butterfly Garden or delve into the jungles of South East Asia at Immersion.

There are many plants of heritage and cultural value that make up the unique botanical collection within the Zoo, such as the Yacca tree, the oldest living organism in the Zoo with an estimated age of approximately 600 years.

“Botanical Guide to the Adelaide Zoo - Bush Food 2004” by Allys Richardson and Jeff Lugg,  with illustrations by Nicholas Bishop, is available for sale in the Zoo Shop. This guide provides information on 53 different plants that can be seen in the Zoo, with readers able to learn about propagation, height, habitat, indigenous significance and usage of all the plants.

We have a range of plants for sale at the Zoo Shop, at a very affordable price. Proceeds from the sale of these plants go towards supporting our conservation programs.

View the list of plants available for purchase at Adelaide Zoo

Please note that plants are subject to availability.

Below are the list of plants that will be part of the Adelaide Zoo upgrade.

Below is a list of all the plants used in and around the Westpac Envirodome.

There are about 400 species of butterflies in Australia and up to 20,000 species worldwide.

In South Australia, many of the 74 butterfly species are threatened with extinction. With land clearance and the impact of human activities, their main food plants (such as sedges, native grasses and mistletoe) are disappearing.

The plants in our butterfly garden are all butterfly food! By growing the right types of flowers and grasses, you can attract butterflies to your garden too.

A list of flora selected for Immersion closely represent the natural vegetation and habitats of this unique region. The plantings were also chosen due to their adaptabilities to Adelaide's climatic conditions.