5 Weird Plant Species Around the World You Never Knew Existed

Do you love plants? Do you like weird things? Are your answers to both those questions a resounding yes?

Good, because you will love what we have below.

As of today, there is around 297,326 estimated number of cataloged plant species here on Earth. With that many plants, there will be some plants that even you may not have heard of. And among them, there may be one or two that you will find very weird.

Check out our list below and you may find that there may be more than one weird plant that you never knew existed.

1. Rafflesia Arnoldii

Holding the title of being the biggest flower in the world, the Rafflesia Arnoldii can grow to the size of 3 feet in diameter and can get as heavy as 24 pounds.

A very rare find in the rainforests of South East Asia. These pretty flowers have 5 very wide, warty petals when they’re in bloom. It’s said that warts on the petals resemble carrion infesting the flower.

Also, when the Rafflesia Arnoldii is in bloom, it gives off a stench that people say smells like a rotting fish. These traits combined are the reason why the Rafflesia Arnoldii also earned the nickname “The Corpse Flower.”

This flower also has no stem, roots, or leaves of any kind. Which is why it only lasts about 5-7 days before it wilts and dies.

2. Hydnora Africana

While its name translates to Princess of Africa, it looks far from anything this planet has made.

The Hydnora Africana is a parasitic plant that lives most of its life underground, latching onto the roots of any nearby plants and feeds off of their nutrients. The plant then spreads its roots further across underground until it’s ready to mature.

When this plant matures, the flower bursts out from underground and is ready to get pollinated. The flower is bright orange and looks alien-like, and the odor it releases is very much like the stench of a rotting corpse. Which is why the designated pollinators are flies and beetles.

Flies and beetles who smell the stench get attracted to it, in hopes that they find some rotting flesh to feast on.

However, they find nothing the further into the flower they go, and by then, they will find it difficult to escape because this plant traps them for around 1 day when the plant’s male organs have matured and scattered seeds all over the trapped insects.

The flower then wilts away, allowing the insects to escape. These insects then catch the scent of another Hydnora plant and pollinate it with the seeds it has gotten from the previous one.

3. Elephant-Foot Yam

Another plant that smells like a rotting corpse, these plants get their weird names because it’s said they resemble the foot of an elephant. However, they look very far from an elephant’s foot.

These plants come in a variety of colors, from dark gray to sometimes pure white.

Although they smell horrible, some people have taken to eating the Elephant-Foot Yam. Some South-East Asian restaurants have even made a delicacy out of it, while some have tried all sorts of methods like blending it, for example.

4. Welwitschia Mirabilis

This plant is also called the “tumbo” and “tweeblaarkanniedod” in its native tongue. Weird plant names aside, this is one of the, if not, the most resilient plant in the world.

They consist of nothing but a short, sturdy stem and 2 leaves. The leaves, however, grow very large and wide until they start to break apart and shag like a furry mane.

These plants have a lifespan of 400 years to 1500 years, and they can survive in the desert with no rain for up to 5 years.

The fruits it bears are very delicious whether uncooked or baked. Click here for more weird plants that are edible.

5. Selaginella Lepidophylla

Also known as the Rose of Jericho, this plant lives through the driest deserts while it waits for the smallest amount of rain.

Often curled up into a dry ball, the Selaginella Lepidophylla unravels during the wet season. While it’s hydrated, the plant turns from its usual brown color to a much healthier-looking green color. Because of this, it is also given the nickname “The Resurrection Plant.”

Learn More About Weird Plant Species Now

Learn about 5 weird plant species and impress your friends with trivia and facts about them!

Don’t stop here, though. There’s much more to discover!

Check out our website for more fun reads like this one, which tells you 10 weird and interesting facts about alcohol.

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