Flowers come in all sorts of colours and shapes, bringing beauty to wild spaces and gardens alike, however there are some flowers that are just that bit weird – and anything but conventional flora.
There are plants that look like grinning monkeys, flowers that smell of rotting corpses and blooms that look like beehives. Whether attracting pollinators with sweet scents or luring them in with disgusting fragrance, these weird and wonderful flowers prove that the natural world is full of surprises.
Weirdest flowers in the world
Monkey face orchid (Dracula simia)
Is there anything weirder than seeing a monkey in your orchid? Unlikely. In each flower, you can spot what looks exactly like a little monkey face. Native to Central and South America, these fascinating plants can bloom in any season. When the monkey face orchid blooms, it gives off an aroma of ripe oranges. We also named it one of the weirdest plants in the world.
Hooker’s lips (Psychotria Elata)
The somewhat problematically named 'hooker's lips' or 'girlfriend kiss' is a tropical plant that originates in countries around Central and South America. Interestingly, the lip-shaped red bracts are considered to be the plant's flower, but are actually just extravagant leaves – so it's a bit of a stretch putting it in this list - but its vibrant looks make us think it deserves a place.
The plant offers many health benefits to native communities, but as a result (and likely also because of its fun appearance) it has become over-harvested and is now endangered.
Naked man orchid (Orchis italica)
The distinctive wavy leaves of the naked man orchid give the appearance of... well, a naked man. The orchid is usually found in the Mediterranean region – particularly in the Middle East, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In Italy, the consumption of the plant is thought to be linked to virility, no doubt because of the fine figure of a man who features in its flowers.
- Why are scientists excited about this roadside bloom?
- “Ugliest orchid in the world” among new plant species named
Corpse flower (Rafflesia arnoldii)
The corpse flower is the single largest individual flower in the world. When it blooms, it emits a horrendous aroma, similar to that of rotting meat. It also produces heat, which helps spread its disgusting fragrance and attract pollinators. The corpse is an iconic symbol of the southeast Asian rainforest, and has featured on several Indonesian postage stamps as a result. Charming.
- It reeks of rotten flesh, blooms for 24 hours and heats itself up – meet one of the world’s most fascinating plants
- Nepenthes lowii: the plant that likes to be used as a toilet
Devil’s hand (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon)
Also known as the 'monkey's hand' or 'Mexican hand tree', the Chiranthodendron has a distinctive red flower, which resembles a slightly ominous open hand. The species is native to Guatemala and southern Mexico, but is now grown in gardens around the world.
Swaddled babies orchid (Anguloa uniflora)
The swaddled babies orchid is one of the smaller varieties of orchid. It was discovered by botanists towards the end of the 18th century on an expedition from Chile to Peru. Inside its flower, it looks as though a baby is wrapped in a swaddling cloth. They are incredibly fragrant flowers, blooming usually in spring.
Catherine-wheel pincushion (Leucospermum catherinae)
Known as 'protea pinwheel' or 'wheel flower', this unusual flower heads are unsurprisingly known – and named – for their disc-shaped flower. They are found in an assortment of bright colours, and are native to the Western Cape of South Africa.
Voodoo lily (Dracunculus vulgaris)
The slightly terrifyingly named voodoo lily (or dragon lily or vampire lily) is so called because of its hood-like purple spathe, which can grow to lengths of up to 60cm, with a darker purple spadix inside it – which some have said looks like a small dragon hiding inside. This herbaceous perennial is native to the Balkans. Like the devil's hand, the voodoo lily has an unfortunate aroma, reminiscent of rotting flesh. This is designed to attract flies as pollinators.
Snake gourd flower (Trichosanthes cucumerina)
The long, branching hairs on the margins of the snake gourd flower's petals make it truly unique. It grows on a vine, which grows a slong fruit that is eaten as a vegetable in Asia. The flowers are unisexual, which means that they are either male or female, but not both.
Beehive ginger (Zingiber spectabile)
This unusual-looking plant is not a beehive, as its appearance might suggest: it's actually a cone-shaped flower. The bracts can be various colours, and sometimes sprouts smalle white flowers from within. The beehive ginger thrives in humid, tropical climates.
Welwitschia (Welwitschia mirabilis)
Weltwitschia plants are easily recognised by their large, evergreen leaves that grow across the ground. The plant will produce only two leaves throughout its life, but these are often split apart into segments by the wind. The largest of these plants are believed to be over 1500 years old. The Welwitschia is endemic to the Namib Desert in southern Africa, one of the world's oldest deserts with extreme arid conditions.
Sturt's desert pea (Swainsona Formosa)
Sturt's Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa) was adopted as the floral emblem of the Australian state of South Australia in 1961 – and there's no wonder why. The specimen was first collected on Rosemary Island off the coast of Western Australia, by the English navigator William Dampier. The plant takes its name from the British explorer Captain Charles Sturt, who noted the plant's occurrence during his 1844 expedition to central Australia.
Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
Now, isn't this the most beautiful flower you've ever seen? These pink-red, heart-shaped flowers with white tips hang from stems from late spring to early summer.
Native to Northeast China and the Korean peninsula, the bleeding heart flowers are hardy perennials, so they can grow in city and courtyard gardens, as well as flower borders and beds.
More flower stories: