Weird Flowers

1. The jade vine is a rare woody vine native to the tropical rainforests of the Philippines. It is a member of the pea and bean family and is closely related to kidney beans. The plant carries claw shaped flowers which grow from hanging trusses; they can reach up to three meters in length. The flowers color can vary from blue green to mint green. The species has proven extremely difficult to propagate, and is considered an endangered species due to .....

Corpse Flower

2. This fascinating flower is found mainly in low lying tropical rainforests of Indonesia. This is one of the worlds rarest, most endangered and largest flowers and it can reach a total width of over a meter. The Rafflesias survival is totally dependent on a specific vine called the Tetrastigma vine. As the Rafflesia is a bodiless, stemless, leafless, rootless parasite, it requires the vine for nourishment and support. It is also a carrion plant, wh .....

Gibraltar Campion

3. This species of Campion is particularly rare and is only found on the high cliffs of Gibraltar. This plant was believed extinct by the entire scientific community outside Gibraltar in the 1980s but the Gibraltar botanical section knew there were a few specimens left. Sadly, by 1992 all traces of the plant had vanished and it was declared extinct. In 1994 a single specimen was discovered by a climber on the inaccessible cliffs and the species came .....

Franklin Tree

4. This tree is a part of the tea family but is the sole species in its genus and a very rare flowering plant. The tree is native to the Altamaha river valley in Georgia, but has been extinct in the wild since the early 19th century. In fact this beautiful tree is only known today because of the Bartram family, who were avid horticulturists and propagated the tree before its extinction in the wild. The plant, which has fragrant white blooms and leav .....

Parrot s Beak

5. This is a beautiful flower that has been classed as exceedingly rare since 1884. It is believed to be completely extinct in the wild, but a few individuals might have survived. This stunning plant is endemic to the Canary Islands and is believed to have originally been pollinated by sunbirds, which have long since become extinct in the Canary Islands. This could help to explain the scarcity of the plant. Experiments have been undertaken to find n .....

Chocolate Cosmos

6. This is a dark red to brown species of Cosmos, native to Mexico. Sadly it has been extinct in the wild for over a hundred years. The species survives today as a single non fertile clone, which was created in 1902 by vegetative propagation. The flowers which are produced by the plant are a rich deep red to brown color and grow to about 3 4 cm in diameter. The flowers have a lovely vanillin fragrance in the summer (also found in vanilla beans, some .....

Kokio

7. This is an extremely rare tree, endemic to Hawaii. It was discovered in 1860, at which time only three specimens could be found. The tree proved difficult to propagate, and by 1950, after the last seedling died, it was deemed extinct. In 1970 a sole survivor was found, which was sadly destroyed in a fire in 1978. Luckily one of the branches of that last remaining tree was saved, and grafted into 23 trees that exist today, all of which are situate .....

Yellow and Purple Lady Slippers

8. This is an extremely rare type of wild orchid found across Europe. Britains only example of this plant, which used to be more common and widespread, can be found on a golf course and has been under strict police protection since 1917. A single cutting can be sold for US$5000, which is shocking as the plant is very difficult to propagate. Its seeds bear no nourishment for the growing plant, so it lives in a symbiotic relationship with a specific t .....

Ghost Orchid

9. The Ghost orchid is a fascinating rare plant that was presumed extinct for almost 20 years, only recently did it rear its head again. The plant is so rare because it is basically impossible to propagate. It has no leaves, does not depend on photosynthesis and does not manufacture its own food. Like the Lady slipper, it needs a specific fungus in close contact with its root system, which feeds it. The Ghost orchid never grows leaves, and will ther .....

Middlemist Red

10. This is probably the rarest flowering plant in the world as there are only 2 known examples. One can be found in a garden in New Zealand and the other is situated in a greenhouse in Britain. The plant was originally brought to Britain from China by John Middlemist (after whom the plant was named) in 1804. It has since been completely wiped out in China. The plant in Britain remained barren for years and only started bearing flowers recently. The .....

Amorphophallus titanum

11. popularly known as the corpse flower, is the worlds biggest and worst smelling flower. Native to the Borneo rain forest, the plant blooms only a few times in its 40 year life span. During the first eight hours, the bloom emits a scent similar to rotting eggs or a dead animal. .....

Aciphylla horrida

12. An unidentified variety of aciphylla plant, related to Aciphylla horrida, bristles with spiked bracts, a type of modified leaf. .....

Alcea rosea

13. A black hollyhock (Alcea rosea) sports double blooms of deep maroon black on tall stems. [Black flowers] seem to rebel against nature and draw us to their nonconformity, says Scottish gardener and exotic plant seller Diane Halligan. In this respect they are perhaps the rock stars of the plant world. .....

Dracunculus vulgaris

14. Plants that smell like rotting flesh to attract pollinators include the dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris), which has a burgundy leaf like flower out of which flows a slender, black appendage. The plant is native to the Mediterranean, but this one showed up one day in the Bronx, New York, garden of Rosemarie Dieda. The plant was identified by Debbie Gartzke of Weird Dudes Plant Zoo. The plant will seed around, so apparently someone else in the n .....

Rhododendron wasonii

15. Plants like Rhododendron wasonii with its sweet smelling leaf undersides can also startle the senses with its pleasant aroma. .....

Eastern Skunk Cabbage

16. With a name like Eastern Skunk Cabbage, you dont need to take a whiff of this flower to know that it smells like. The plant, which grows in the moist wetland soils of eastern North America, emits a skunk like stench that flies and stoneflies find irresistible. The skunk cabbage consists of a mottled maroon modified leaf resembling a hood, called a spathe, as well as a yellow, cylindrical spadix, which bears several tiny flowers. The Eastern Skun .....

Hydnora Africana

17. Hidden in the desert region of Southern Africa, you may mistake this flower for the head of a large snake peeking up from the ground. The Hydnora africana is a parasitic plant that exists almost entirely underground as a large web of roots connected to its host plant, Euphorbia. Said to be as hard as wood, it can take this plant up to a year to flower. Like lice or fleas, the Hydnora africana, spends the majority of its existence leaching off the .....

The Black Bat Flower

18. With black whiskers reaching up to 28 inches long, protruding from a delicate, maroon black blossom, this rare flora is sure to catch your eye. Its flower can reach up to 1 foot in diameter, while standing 36 inches tall. With whiskers that nearly brush the ground, the unique plant, formally known as Tacca chantrieri, is said to resemble a black bat, hence its nickname The Black Bat Flower. Native to Southeast Asia, the flower grows from a large .....

Welwitschia mirabilis

19. Its not pretty to look at, but Namibias plant Welwitschia Mirabilis can truly claim to be one of a kind. There really is nothing like it. Welwitschia plant consists of only two leaves and a sturdy stem with roots. Thats all! Two leaves continue to grow until they resemble the shaggy mane of some sci fi alien. The stem thickens, rather than gains in height, and can grow to be almost 2 meters high and 8 meters wide. Their estimated lifespan is 400 .....

Dionaea muscipula

20. The Venus Fly Trap is the most famous of all carnivorous plants due to the active and efficient nature of its unique traps. It may be famous, but its also threatened. The plants two hinged leaves are covered in ultra sensitive fine hairs that detect the presence of everything from ants to arachnids. Trigger the hairs and snap! The trap will shut in less than a second. .....

Euphorbia obesa

21. Euphorbia Obesa, also known as the Baseball Plant, is endemic to the Great Karoo region of South Africa. Unsustainable harvesting by plant collectors who value Euphorbia obesa for its interesting and curious appearance has severely impacted wild populations. Consequently, national and international legislation have been enacted to protect remaining populations. While Euphorbia obesa remains endangered in its native habitat, it has become very com .....

Baobab

22. Baobab is the common name of a genus (Adansonia) containing eight species of trees, native to Madagascar, mainland Africa and Australia. Also known as the Bottle Tree, not only do they look like bottles, but the trees typically store around 300 liters of water! No wonder why they often live over 500 years. .....

Selaginella lepidophylla

23. Also known as Rose of Jericho, the Selaginella Lepidophylla is a species of desert plant noted for its ability to survive almost complete desiccation; during dry weather in its native habitat, its stems curl into a tight ball and uncurl when exposed to moisture. It is native to the Chihuahuan Desert. .....

Bears Head Tooth Mushroom

25. Well just look at it. Thats a mushroom. If youre not convinced that it should be on this list... it also fights cancer, stimulates nerve growth, and helps kill roundworms. How do we know? Well some really brave soul found out it was edible. Cydro still wouldnt put it on his sandwiches no matter what it does. Oh yeah, it can grow branches too. Im not sure how they came up with the name though. Looks more like a brand new mop to me. .....

Witches Butter

26. Sticking with edible fungi that look inedible, here is Witches Butter. It has been given other pleasant names such as yellow brain and golden jelly fungus. .....

Drakaea glyptodon

27. Well, it pollinates in a unique way. Does that red thing on the side look like it belongs there? When you look even closer, whats that black thing on top of the red thing? Well, youll find this appendage on all of the Drakaea glyptodon that you come acrossFemale wasps happen to be flightless. They also happen to climb on top of plants to S.O.S. until the male picks them up and does his thing to reproduce with them during flight. The Drakaea glypt .....

Silver Torch Cactus

28. Besides having one of the coolest names on the list, it is a very unusual cactus. Its wooly, but that isnt too spectacular. It grows flowers, but that definitely isnt too unusual. The way the flowers are shaped are unique (yes those are flowers), however other cacti flowers bloom in a similar way just not as horizontally. The thing that makes it the wackiest is that it prefers cold temperatures. It can stand frosts up to 10 degrees Celsius. It l .....

Lithops Julli

29. Some plants use toxins to avoid being eaten. Some use thorns, or turn into carnivores. The Lithops Julli survives by pretending to be a rock. If youre into picking up rocks in South Africa, chances are youll pick one of these up, too. The disguise seems useless because theyre flowering plants. Nope, even the flowers are disguised with abstract lines and colors. The colors of everything about the plant are atypical for this very reason. .....

Victoria Amazonica

30. These guys have some pretty amazing features. And they grow up to three meters across! The ends fold up to avoid overlapping with their brethren. Also, the undersides are very thorny to protects against being eaten. Their flowers are huge, beautiful, and can only be seen at night. The flowers also change color over the course of the lilys lifetime. If you see them at daybreak you can watch the flowers close up rather quickly. Lastly, if you googl .....

The Bladderwort

31. This one is one of the wackiest. It is found in many different varieties around the southeastern coast of the United States and then also in the state of Washington. What makes it so unique? Well, it uses little air sacs to float when it is flowering. When it isnt flowering, it stays underwater like a seasonal submarine. Also, it is a carnivore. It eats tiny little invertebrates that it sucks into its pods with a vacuum. Beat that, Venus Flytrap. .....

Toad Lily

32. Tricyrtis Hirta or Toad Lily is native of Japan and belongs to the Liliaceae family. It is a perennial plant and grows in partial sun and shady locations and prefers rich soil. Toad Lily booms in late summer to mid autumn and bears unusual flowers of whitish petals that bear purple spots. These unusual flowers are usually 2.5 cm wide. .....

Fetid Adders Tongue

33. Scoliopus Bigelovii also known as Fetid Adders Tongue is another unusual flowering plant from the Liliaceae family. The name is derived from two Greek words skolios and pous meaning curved foot. These unusual flowers can be found in shaded forests of coastal areas of the western United States. .....

Sturts Desert Pea

34. Swainsona Formosa or Sturts Desert Pea bears very unusual, blood red flowers with distinctive bulbous black centre. It is native of arid regions of central and north western Australia and belongs to the Fabaceae family. It flowers from spring to summer as short lived annual but in favorable conditions it can bloom in the next season as well. .....

Flame Lily

35. This unusual flowering plant is native of tropical regions of Asia and Africa and belongs to Colchicaceae family. Flame Lily usually grows as tuberous climbing plant and produces unusual red or yellow flowers with wavy edges. It can be grown easily from seeds though germination takes a little long time. It is also the national flower of Zimbabwe. .....

Passion Flower

36. Passion flower belongs to the Passifloraceae family and has more than 500 species. Passiflora Alata produces unusual flowers of scarlet color. These flowers are fragrant and usually 7 ? 10 cm wide. This unusual flowering plant comes from the Amazon region of Brazil. .....

Teasel Banksia

37. Teasel Banksia belongs to the family of Banksia which is native of Australia. These unusual flowers are red and yellow in color. The plant grows under ample sunlight and prefers low moisture. Suitable for suitable for xeriscaping, this unusual flowering plant can tolerate spells of droughts. .....

Fuchsia Blue Eyes

38. Fuchsia .....

Bat Flower

39. Bat Flower is another unusual flower from tropical forests of China. It belongs to the family of Dioscoreaceae. .....

Bee Orchid

40. Bee Orchid comes from the Mediterranean regions and belongs to the orchid family. This perennial plant produces one to ten flowers on each spike every summer. It prefers well drained soil and partial sunlight. .....

Bleeding Heart

41. Dicentra is a perennial herbaceous plant from eastern Asia and North America. The plant produces heart shaped poisonous flowers. .....

Carrion Flower

42. Carrion Flower or Stapelia Gigantea belongs to the family of Stapeliads from South Africa. There are more than 70 species of Stapelia each having different coloration and flowers. Stapelia are good container plants and can grow well under full sun and light to moderate watering. Plant them in well drained compost as the stems are prone to rotting if kept moist for long. Flowers of Stapelia Gigantea can grow as big as 41 cm when in full bloom. The .....

Bird of Paradise

43. Bird of Paradise also known as Crane Flower is another unusual flower from South Africa. The plant belongs to the Strelitziaceae family and produced unusually colorful and beautiful flowers that resemble a bird. .....

Huernia Oculata

44. This unusual flowering plant belongs to the family of Apocynaceae. The plant produces small succulent stems. The stems can be used to propagate the plant. The plant is fairly easy to grow in well drained soil and dry climate. .....