Dream birdwood flowers in bloom to display the wonder of nature

Dream birdwood flowers (Mucuna birdwoodiana), which have gained increasing attention in recent years for their sparrow-like appearance, are a rare species under national second-level protection. The main varieties of Mucuna birdwoodiana in Shenzhen are the white-flowered Mucuna birdwoodiana and the purple-flowered Mucuna sempervirens. Both varieties are very common in southern China, and produce flowers that have a similar shape.

Dream birdwood flowers usually start to bloom in March in Shenzhen and the month-long period around Qingming Festival is the peak flowering period for the plant. The blossoms dangling in bunches resemble a waterfall coming down from the trees or a flock of birds flying in the air.

Another distinctive feature of dream birdwood flowers is that they are far from being fragrant and can even be described as smelly. When walking under the flowers or taking photos of them at a short distance, one is advised to hold his or her breath to avoid the unpleasant odor. The flowers can also cause allergies and the seeds of the plant are poisonous.

The best places to view the flowers in Shenzhen include Yangtai Mountain, Meilin Mountain, Tanglang Mountain, Maluan Mountain, Fenghuang Moutain, Meishajian Mountain, Donghu Park and Enshang Wetland Park. The reason why they are so rare is that they are predominantly wild and mostly grow in mountainous areas. Maluan Mountain in Pingshan District has the most of this plant in Shenzhen, thanks to the many waterfalls and plenty of sunshine there. Hidden in the big and small valleys of Maluan, the flowers flourishes, with the vines of this plant growing around the ancient trees and completely covering the trunks of the trees. The valley that has the most of dream birdwood flowers is Longtan Valley.

The views of blooming dream birdwood flowers are also quite spectacular in Donghu Park, where most of the dream birdwood flowers are purple. Within a five or six minutes’ walk from the east entrance to the park on Yanfang Road, visitors can find the flowers, which were planted in 2007 and now occupy an area of several hundred square meters. Another recommended place to see the flowers is in the Meilin Reservoir section of the Meilin Greenway, where most of the flowers are white.

①Maluan Mountain

Venue: Maluan Mountain Park, Pingshan District(坪山区马峦山郊野公园)

Tip: Maluan Mountain has the flowers in several spots and the best place is in Longtan Valley, which can be accessed from the Biling entrance (main entrance) of the park. （马峦山郊野公园多处有禾雀花。最值得看的禾雀花分布在龙潭沟谷。到达龙潭沟谷的最近路线是从马峦山郊野公园碧岭入口(即正大门)进入）

Transport: The nearest bus stops are the Maluan Mountain Bus Stop (马峦山郊野公园站) and Biling Residents’ Committee Bus Stop (碧岭居委站)

② Donghu Park

Venue: Donghua Park, Luohu District (罗湖区东湖公园)

Metro: Line 2 to Liantang Checkpoint Station (莲塘口岸站), Exit A1 and walk for 660 meters to reach the east entrance to the park

③ Meilin Mountain

Venue: the Meilin Greenway, Futian District (福田区梅林山公园(梅林二线关绿道))

Metro: Line 9 to Xiameilin Station (下梅林站), Exit D

The best places to view the dream birdwood flowers in Shenzhen include Yangtai Mountain, Meilin Mountain, Tanglang Mountain, Maluan Mountain, Fenghuang Moutain, Meishajian Mountain, Donghu Park and Enshang Wetland Park. File photos