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 can 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. A booklet is available for sale at the Zoo Shop which provides information on fifty three different plants that can be seen in the Zoo . Readers can also learn about propagation, height, habitat, indigenous significance and usage of all the plants.

We also 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.

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.