13 Jan

15 Unusual Flowers of the World

1. Toad Lily (Tricyrtis hirta)

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. Buy Tricyrtis seeds online.

toad lily flower

Toad Lily Flower ©André Karwath

2. Fetid Adder’s Tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii)

Scoliopus bigelovii also known as Fetid Adder’s 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.

fetid adder's tongue

Fetid Adder’s Tongue – image by alpinegardensociety.net

3. Sturt’s Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa)

Swainsona formosa or Sturt’s 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.

swainsona formosa anbg-gov.au

Swainsona Formosa – image by anbg.gov.au

4. Flame Lily (Gloriosa superba)

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. Buy Gloriosa seeds online.

gloriosa superba

Gloriosa Superba

5. Passion Flower (Passiflora alata)

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. Buy Passiflora seeds online.

passiflora alata - passion flower

Passiflora Alata – image from ubcbotanialgarden.org

6. Teasel Banksia (Banksia puclhella)

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. Buy Banksia seeds online.

banksia puclhella

Banksia Puclhella

7. Fuchsia ‘Blue Eyes’

Fuchsia ‘Blue Eyes’ is a small deciduous trailing shrub that produces unusual pink and lavender flowers. The plant blooms in early summer to late summer. Buy Fuchsia seeds online.

blue eyes fuchsia

Fuchsia Blue Eyes – image by wikipedia.org

8. Bat Flower (Tacca chantrieri)

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

Tacca Chantrieri

Tacca Chantrieri © Daniel Mosquin

9. Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)

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.

Bee Orchid

Bee Orchid © TimWilkins

10. Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum)

Titan Arum is one of the most unusual flowers of the world. The inflorescence of Titan Arum can reach up to 3 meters and emits bad odor, which is why, it is also called carrion flower or corpse flower. The plant can be found in certain regions of Sumatra and Indonesia. The largest known plant of Titan Arum weighed 91 Kilograms.

Titan Arum

Titan Arum – image from botany.si.edu

11. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

Dicentra is a perennial herbaceous plant from eastern Asia and North America. The plant produces heart-shaped poisonous flowers. Buy Dicentra seeds online.

Dicentra Spectabilis

Dicentra Spectabilis – image from Wikipedia.org

12. Rafflesia arnoldii (Corpse Lily)

Another remarkably different and unusual flower, Rafflesia arnoldii is also the largest flower of the world. This unusual flowering plant is rare and hard to find in its habitat (rainforests of Bengkulu, Sumatra Island and Indonesia). Flowers emit bad smell and can be as wide as 1 meter wide and weigh up to 11 kilogram.

Rafflesia Arnoldii

Rafflesia Arnoldii © Troy Davis

13. Carrion Flower (Stapelia gigantea)

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. These hairy and foul-smelling flowers attract insects especially flies that act as pollinators.

Stapelia Gigantea

Stapelia Gigantea © thelovelyplants.com

The genus of Stapelia offers many more species and varieties that are easy to grow and produce unique and very unusual flowers. Most of these varieties are easily available at local nurseries and online sellers.

14. Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia)

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. Buy Sterlitzia seeds online.

Strelitzia Reginae

Strelitzia Reginae © Daniel Mosquin

15. Huernia oculata

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. Buy Huernia seeds online.

Huernia Oculata

Huernia Oculata

7 thoughts on “15 Unusual Flowers of the World

  1. My wife and I have a plant that requires us to dig the bulb each fall, wash and dry them and store in a warm dark place for replanting the following spring. This bulb produces a stalk, grows to three feet tall, producing very broad green “spade shaped” leaves and a bloom bearing a very red spike like flower which blooms all summer. We live in NE Michigan and the plant seems to do well in large pots with at least 12-15 inches of good black soil. From this limited description, can you tell us what it is?

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