Pink Doughwood

Botanical Name: Melicope elleryana

Author: (F. Muell.) T. Hartley

Common Name: Pink Doughwood

Family: Rutaceae

Location

This species occurs in New Guinea and the Solomons and is widely distributed in Australia, extending across the ropics and along the east coast as far south as the Clarence River in northeastern New South Wales in moist rainforests. Flotillas of butterflies are flocking to our trees planted in Bed 17 on the Terrace Garden.

This species is one of the best of our native plants for attracting butterflies and other insects to your garden.

Many species of butterfly (most of them native) have been seen around these trees including the Common Brown, Common Jezebel, Tailed Emperor, Blue Triangle, Macleay’s Swallowtail, Orchard Swallowtail, Australian Admiral, and Wanderer. In addition many other insects are attracted to this tree, providing an abundant food source for insectivorous birds, such as the Rose Robin and Grey Fantail. Nectar feeding birds including the Little Wattle Bird  also love the flowers.

In its native habitat in the rainforests of northeast Queensland, it is one of the two main food species for the larvae of the Ullyses Butterfly, the big blue butterfly which is well-known as the symbol of Dunk Island.