Birds revel in the beauty of camellia flowers in Yunnan

A bird perches on a branch of camellia blossoms at Laifengshan National Forest Park in Tengchong, Yunnan province. [Photo by Liu Zhengfan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The camellia flowers are in full bloom at Laifengshan National Forest Park in Tengchong, Yunnan province, drawing many visitors hoping to spot birds flitting among the branches.

The camellia flower base features 4,274 plants across 135 varieties, with pink blooms resembling rosy clouds and red ones blazing like fire. Thousands of blossoms vie for attention, creating a breathtaking sea of flowers.

A vast array of rare varieties can be found here, including Camellia reticulata, Camellia japonica, and Camellia nitidissima, often dubbed the "giant panda of the plant world". Together, they tell the story and heritage of the genus.

 

A bird perches on a branch of camellia blossoms at Laifengshan National Forest Park in Tengchong, Yunnan province. [Photo by Liu Zhengfan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Lured by the floral aroma, birds flit and dart among the branches, skillfully dipping their beaks into the blossoms to sip nectar. Their crisp calls echo through the forest, breathing life into spring.

Since the camellia flower base opened for free on Feb 2, nearly 130,000 visitors have come to admire the blooms. The visual feast is expected to continue until mid to late March, according to local authorities.