Have you ever heard of flowers that are as rare and as well as look beautiful? Imagine flowers that are not just pretty but have amazing stories behind them.
Some cool-looking flowers are so rare you might never see them in a regular garden. They could be hiding in far-off jungles or might even be close to disappearing forever.
This article will discuss rare, cool-looking flowers that are not your everyday blooms.
From a flower that smells like chocolate to one that only blooms at night, these flowers are truly one-of-a-kind.
So, let’s dive in and explore some of the coolest and most unique flowers worldwide.
1. Chocolate Cosmos
Here goes the first cool-looking flower yet rare that most of you will love!
As it goes by the name, this cool-looking flower, with a reddish-brown color that is so dark that it looks almost black, has a chocolate scent.
They are easy to grow, and just like us, even butterflies are attracted to the sweet, chocolaty scent.
It can also be grown inside containers, and to care for your plant, all you need is well-drained, fertile soil and at least 6 hours of daily sunlight.
When it comes to watering, once a week is good because regular or too much water can rot the plant’s roots.
Also, before you water them, ensure the soil has dried from the previous watering session, or else your plant might die.
A unique thing about the chocolate cosmos is that it does not reproduce from its pollen or seeds, unlike other flowers. Its seeds are sterile.
It reproduces through its roots, so if you look forward to growing a chocolate cosmos, keep your eyes open for the young roots.
Lastly, to make sure your chocolate cosmos lives a long and healthy life, separate it from the plant each time a flower dies, or else your plant might die too.
2. Ghost Orchid
Even the name of the flower is so cool.
Founded in humid and marshy areas, it gets its name from its frog-like, oddly shaped flowers that give it a spooky appearance.
The white-colored flowers have a lovely scent that attracts the moths at night.
The moths help them with their pollination and reproduction, and without them, this short flower would be long gone from the planet.
They are found in Florida and Cuba, and the most exciting fact about this flower is that, according to researchers, only 2000 ghost orchid flower trees are left in Florida.
Also, it would be impossible for you or anyone to grow a ghost orchid in their garden as providing its required environment might not be possible.
It is said that people who succeeded in taking a ghost orchid from its natural place and planting it in their garden failed, as the orchid would die very soon.
Do you want to know another cool fact about ghost orchids? Apart from a few people, no one knows the original location of the place where these rare flowers grow.
This level of security and secrecy is maintained to protect this scarce flower from poachers.
Ghost orchids are vanishing rapidly due to climate change, pesticides, and the loss of pollinators.
Scientists are still on their way to devise a more rapid process of seed germination to protect these rare flowers from extinction.
3. Middlemist Red Flower
One of the most interesting, rare flowers on the list, Middlemist red flowers, are so rare that they are found in only two locations in the entire world.
One is in a garden in New Zealand, and the other is in a greenhouse in the United Kingdom, and each of these locations has only one plant left alive.
Originally from China, they are found in various shades of red and pink and hence can be officially declared as “One of the rarest flowers in the world.”
It gets its name from John Middlemist, who brought it to the United Kingdom from China years ago, after which it was completely wiped out of China.
Here is another interesting fact about this flower. It is believed that John Middlemist also sold some samples of this flower to the public before it became one of the rarest flowers in the world.
So, there is a chance that there might be a rare sample of this rare flower in your garden. You never know!
4. Night Blooming Cereus
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It is a famous cactus and a popular desert plant. Found in abundance in Arizona, they are also known as “Queen of the Night” or even in some places as “Princess of the Night.”
These plants do not start to produce flowers until they are 4 or 5 years old; even when they do, they start with little clusters of flowers.
The flowers are white and only bloom at night. They wither and droop by the dawn’s break, but not before leaving behind a juicy red fruit.
The moths pollinate the flower seeds at night, attracted to the heavenly fragrance that the flower produces.
They are relatively easy to grow compared to other rare flowers and can be transferred and grown into a new place by sharing a young cut root.
Now, if it is so easy to grow, why are they so rare? When we say they are rare, we do not mean the plant.
Here we are talking about the flower, which has a brief life span of only a night, and as soon as the morning creeps in, it withers and dies instantly, making it difficult to preserve, share, or even relish.
5. Jade Vine
Also known as Emerald creepers, extensive deforestation has made this flower species endangered and rare.
One of the most beautiful, rare flowers they are known for is exotic green-blue flowers in the shape of claws that dangle from the branch with dark green leaves with a waxy texture.
Although it is one of the rare flowers, you can still try to grow it in your garden, especially if you live somewhere around USDA’s plant hardiness zones.
All you need to grow is moderate humid conditions and, from time to time, watering when the soil looks dry.
Most people do not know suitable living regions to grow jade vines. So, in that case, you can also plant it in your house.
Jade vines are excellent houseplants and thrive much in greenhouses, too. They need an optimum temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 degrees Celcius. Otherwise, the roots can get damaged.
Please keep it in a clay pot because it is breathable and gives your plant sufficient air circulation.
Also, trim them when needed, but do not prune all the old leaves and stems because they need both old and new growth to thrive better.
6. Juliet Rose Cool-Looking Flower
Another exciting flower on the list of rare flowers, did you know that the Juliet rose is the costliest rose in the world! The price of a Juliet rose went up to 90 crores!
It was introduced to the world by a famous breeder named David Austin in 2006, and he produced it by mixing different species of rose until he came up with Juliet rose.
This gorgeous and rare rose comes in a light shade of peach with a core in a deep apricot shade.
With voluminous petals with a soft, velvety texture, it has a classy, soft fragrance with a hint of tea.
It is tough to grow, and if we believe widespread reports, it is said that it took David Austin 15 years to make this rise.
Presently, the price has come down to 26 crores for a single rose, but it is still the costliest globally and is also called the 3 million pound rose in some places.
7. Kadupul Flowers
Another too-costly flower on the list of rare flowers. It is said to be one of the most expensive flowers in the world!
It is so expensive that there is no price tag on it. Do you want to know why? Because it is priceless.
This is because these are cactus flowers; the moment you pluck them, they often die instantly.
Apart from that, they only bloom in the nighttime and wither away by the morning.
It is so popular because of its magical fragrance that is said to have soothing effects.
However, the only luck that most of us can have is to cherish the scent through Kadupul flower-inspired bottled scents.
Another unique fact about this flower is it does not just die once you pluck it; it only blooms once a month, only on a full moon night.
So, to enjoy a Kadupul flower, you must wait for a full moon night after 10 pm because that is when the flowers bloom.
8. White American Water Lily
The Common Water Lily is a familiar sight in many ponds and water gardens, known for its floating leaves and various colors.
The White American Water Lily, while sharing some common features with its more widespread cousin, stands out due to its specific habitat and ecological role.
They are native to North America; this species thrives in calm, freshwater environments like slow-moving streams, ponds, and lakes.
Unlike the Common Water Lily, which can adapt to various water conditions, the White American Water Lily is more sensitive to environmental changes.
This quality makes them an important indicator of the health of its aquatic ecosystem.
9. Gibraltar Campion
The most famous flower in Britain, often referred to as Britain’s pride, Gibraltar Campion, is a short flower that blooms briefly.
The flower’s color ranges from violet to different shades of pink and is found on the outskirts of Gibraltar.
Right from the beginning, they were found in such low numbers that most researchers thought they were extinct until 1984 when a few plants were found.
But again, in 1992, they disappeared completely until 1994 when they came back in larger numbers and have been found since then, but still in very few numbers.
10. Parrot’s Beak
Parrot’s beak is a perennial plant with flowers only found in the Canary Islands, on the northwest coast of Africa.
Also known as lotus vines, cat claws, coral gems, and pelican beaks, they derive these unique names from the shape of the flowers, which look like a parrot’s beak.
The flower’s color ranges from orange to red, with a sparkling silver lineage on the delicate stems.
They usually bloom around late spring and need a chilly night to bloom and thrive the best.
They are popularly used for decorative purposes like carpets, flowerpots, and ground covers.
Growing them is a little tricky. They thrive better when exposed to full sunlight, but at the same time, they need to have extended periods of cool nights to start flowering, as mentioned above.
Hence, it is better to grow them during spring and fall. Although they need well-drained soil, their leaves will droop immediately if you do not water them properly.
11. Black Bat Flower
One of the unique, rare flowers gets this interesting name due to its shape, which looks like a bat hanging from a tree.
The flowers are deep purple and have long white filaments. The shade is so deep that it often looks like a black bat.
Shiny emerald green leaves surround this unique flower, and the entire team of flowers with the leaves maintains their spectacular beauty right from the beginning of spring to fall.
One fact about this attractive flower that might surprise you is that it is an orchid. Also, these are prevalent indoor flowers that grow and bloom well in indoor conditions.
Growing a bat flower takes a little more effort apart from the basic requirements, including a shady place (which catalyzes their growth) and well-drained soil with moderate watering.
The soil needs to be rich in nutrients with a loamy texture, and wherever you decide to plant it, ensure it is well-protected from winds, or else its emerald-colored leaves will get burned and tattered.
12. Corpse Flower
It is more intriguing than the fact it is one of the rare flowers because its name is the corpse flower.
Also known as the carrion flower, it is called the corpse flower because it smells awful, just like a rotten dead body.
It is also one of the largest flowering structures (but not as large as the Rafflesia).
Researchers said that although the smell is terrible for us and most living species, the combination of the flower’s smell, color, and temperature helps attract pollinators.
The flowers produced are dark purple, and from the center of the flower, a long green structure grows out in a conical shape.
Although they look like a stem from far, they have a much softer texture than a stem.
It might not be the largest flower globally, but it certainly earned the title of the tallest bloom in the world when, in June 2010, a corpse flower grew up to 10 feet and 2.25 inches.
This record went into the Guinness Book of World record and has not been broken yet.
This flower is rare because it takes a lot of time to bloom in 7 to 10 years. Even after the first bloom post plantation, there is no guarantee of when it will bloom again.
In some cases, they can bloom after a few years, or in some cases, they can again take 7 to 10 years.
13. Rafflesia Flower
Most of you must have heard of the Rafflesia flower. It is not just one of the rare flowers but also officially the largest one globally.
There are 28 different species of this flower, all of which are parasites.
This large flower has a fleshy, thick, five-lobed structure with dark red petals and tiny white dots.
Another unique feature is that it does not have any roots, stems, or leaves, and the reason behind it being one of the rarest flowers in the world is its enormous size and its terrible smell that resembles the smell of rotten meat.
The disgusting smell prevents birds and animals from coming near it; hence, its seeds and pollens are not distributed to facilitate new blooms.
There is just one pollinator that this flower is believed to have. The rotten, disgusting smell attracts carrion-feeding flies, believed to be a pollinator of this flower.
When completely mature, this flower can weigh up to 24 pounds with a diameter of up to 1 meter.
14. Franklin Tree Flower
If you want to know about rare flowers, you cannot miss this one. First discovered in 1765 by an American botanist, this flower is one of the late bloomers.
It remained in its original place for years but in much fewer numbers, and then it vanished entirely by 1803.
To date, no one knows why it disappeared. Researchers hold different theories, but the exact reason is still unknown.
Years later, a few specimens of the flower were found in the USA, and now they grow in the regions of Florida and Massachusetts, but the number of plants alive is extremely low.
Currently, the flower is extinct in the wild, i.e., it cannot be found in natural places. They are preserved in specific botanical gardens in the world.
15. Youtan Polou
The most exciting fact and why this flower is on the list of rare flowers of the world is that it is said to bloom only once in 3000 years!
If you go by the folklore, then it is said that these rare flowers bloom to mark the reincarnation of the great king, Lord Buddha.
But scientifically speaking, there is not much information available about this flower.
It has no scientific name, and the researchers are unsure if it is a flower moss or a leaf.
This small flower has petalled filaments and emits a mild sandalwood-like scent.
The small white flowers are just 1 mm wide in diameter, and people who can see them (because they are very rare) often mistake them for insect eggs.
We do not know if you or us will ever see them, but it is an exciting read.
16. Lady’s Slipper Orchid
Yes, if you have guessed that this flower got this name owing to its shape that looks like a woman’s slipper or shoe, then you are right!
They come in various shades, including pink, purple, and yellow. Yellow is the most popular one.
These flowers are endangered and rare because their success rate of blooming in transplantation is as low as just 5%.
A few varieties of these flowers have been marked as rare, while the ones that are a little common, like the pink lady’s slipper orchid, have been marked as a particular concern.
Final Thoughts
As we reach the end of our article, it’s important to reflect on what these unique blooms represent.
Each of these flowers that we have discussed is not just a flower. Rather, they are symbolic of the Earth’s vast biodiversity.
These rare specimens force us to think beyond our everyday experiences with nature.
While some of these flowers might seem like characters from a fairy tale, inaccessible and mystical, they are real and crucial to our global biodiversity.
Moreover, understanding these rare flowers makes us appreciate plant life even more.
It reminds us that every flower has its role and story in nature.
