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36 Strange Plants You Wouldn’t Want To Have In Your Garden
CuriositiesJUN 2, 2023

36 Strange Plants You Wouldn’t Want To Have In Your Garden

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Okay, so if we can agree that some animals are pretty damn weird, then we can also agree that some plants are even weirder than their weirdest living counterparts. Oh yeah, it’s going to get kooky in here pretty soon! And, the best part is, you don’t really have to be a botanist to appreciate the weird plants on our list, for their strangeness is pretty darn obvious. 
So, why on earth do these strange plants exist? Well, for starters, to mock us mere humans. On a more serious note, though, evolution and adaptations to specific environments are to blame here. And look at it how you wish; these cool plants went one step ahead when it came to adapting to their living circumstances. All the better for us because this way, we can collect all these wonderful plants in one place and create this spooky list! 
Of course, some of these plants are also quite innocent-looking, with bright flowers, silky leaves, or whatnot. That is until you try touching them or eating them - then you might find yourself wishing you hadn’t trusted a beautiful plant for its pretty colors! 
And lastly, some of these spooky plants are neither toxic nor ominous-looking, and it’s us humans who gave them freaky meanings or scary prehistories. Just wait until you read about everyone’s beloved basil and see how a pizza sauce will never be the same after. 
So, ready to dive into the world of strange-looking plants? If so, you know what to do here! One thing, though - the submissions are in no particular order as of right now, so don’t forget to rank these cool plants by their strangeness!

#1 Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena Cinnabari)

Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena Cinnabari)
The Dragon’s blood tree, found on the island of Socotra exclusively, is related to the palm tree. The length of its leaves can reach two feet! The name of the tree with the recognizable umbrella shape comes from its black resin. Since ancient times, this resin, often known as "dragon's blood," has been used to make medicines and colors. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the tree as vulnerable because climate change is causing the island to dry out.
14points

#2 Black Bat Flower (Tacca Chantrieri)

Black Bat Flower (Tacca Chantrieri)
Normally, flowers are brightly colored to entice pollinators, but this and the following entry veer toward the sinister. The huge, black blossoms of the black bat flower are 30 centimeters in diameter, and they produce 'whiskers' that can extend to 70 centimeters in length. It favors dark forests and valleys, and is mostly found in Southeast Asia.
12points

#3 Monkey Face Orchid (Dracula Simia)

Monkey Face Orchid (Dracula Simia)
The exotic flower's scientific name, Dracula simia, is apt because its center remarkably resembles our simian forebears. The plant's elongated petals enhance the effect. When the plant blooms, which can happen at any time of year, the perfume reminds one of oranges. In Ecuador and Peru, the monkey face orchid can be found at higher altitudes.
10points

#4 Naked Man Orchid (Orchis Italica)

Naked Man Orchid (Orchis Italica)
This orchid, which resembles a naked human male, is common in the Mediterranean region, especially around the coast. A little over 1.5 feet is the maximum height the orchid can reach. Although white specimens have been discovered, light purple and pink are its most typical colors. The flower is threatened, like many other flowers on this list, probably as a result of their excessive use as medicine.
10points

#5 Rafflesia (Rafflesia Arnoldii)

Rafflesia (Rafflesia Arnoldii)
Another "corpse flower," the Rafflesia, is a plant that grows in Indonesia and is known for its strong odor. Its scientific name is taken from the names of Sir Stamford Raffles and Dr. James Arnold, a physician, and naturalist who accompanied Raffles when he found the plant. The lack of stalks, leaves, or roots makes the plant unusual. The Rafflesia spends most of its existence as an unnoticed parasite on vines in tropical jungles.
9points

#6 Grandidier’s Baobab (Adansonia Grandidieri)

Grandidier’s Baobab (Adansonia Grandidieri)
The Grandidier's baobab, one of eight types of baobab trees, is the most spectacular. The 82-foot-tall tree has a 10-foot-wide trunk and is located in dry areas of Madagascar, an island off the eastern coast of Africa. Due to its therapeutic qualities, the tree's bark is highly prized.
9points

#7 Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum)

Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum)
This plant, which should not be confused with the carrion plant above, emits a foul smell as soon as it blooms. Smelling a corpse flower is an uncommon experience, though, because it can take them five to ten years to bloom for the first time and another two to ten years to blossom again. It may grow up to three meters tall and has the biggest unbranched inflorescence (a cluster of flowers on a main branch).
8points

#8 Venus Flytrap (Dionaea Muscipula)

Venus Flytrap (Dionaea Muscipula)
The Venus flytrap, the most famous of the carnivorous plants, has had a profound impact on popular culture, inspiring works like Little Shop of Horrors, The Day of the Triffids, and even Pokémon. Although it is unlikely that their insect prey would concur, Charles Darwin once referred to the plant as "one of the most wonderful in the world." The plant utilizes sweet nectar to draw flies, and when one falls and sets off the tiny hairs in the trap, it closes in on the fly and releases an enzyme that breaks down its soft tissue.
8points

#9 Sensitive Plant (Mimosa Pudica)

Sensitive Plant (Mimosa Pudica)
This delicate plant, which may be found in South and Central America, is a little reserved and has pink blooms and fern-like leaves. The leaves tense up in defense if you touch them. This is because when the plant is touched, the stems release chemicals that cause the water in its cells to be forced out, causing the leaves to collapse. According to scientists, this is an evolutionary characteristic created to fend off predators.
8points

#10 Baseball Plant (Euphorbia Obesa)

Baseball Plant (Euphorbia Obesa)
It is commonly referred to as the South African-native euphorbia obesa. The plant is shaped exactly like a baseball. With an average height of 20 cm, it is an unbranched plant. Due to its extreme rarity worldwide, the unique species of baseball plant is protected by national nature conservation.
8points

#11 Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos Spectabilis)

Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos Spectabilis)
The bleeding heart plant, which is native to Siberia, northern China, Korea, and Japan, gets its name from the shape of its blossoms and its characteristic white tips, which resemble drops. Botanist Robert Fortune brought the first specimens to the UK in the nineteenth century. The plant flowers in springtime. 
7points

#12 Belladonna (Atropa Belladonna)

Belladonna (Atropa Belladonna)
When consumed, belladonna, also known as deadly nightshade, is a very toxic herb that results in delirium, hallucinations, and eventually death. Belladonna is Latin for "beautiful lady," and throughout the Middle Ages, women used the juice of the berries to enlarge their pupils in order to be more appealing (do not try this!). Throughout history and fiction, deadly nightshade has also been the go-to poison, and thanks to its reputation, people have even thought that witches can fly with it.
7points

#13 Wolf's Bane (Aconitum)

Wolf's Bane (Aconitum)
Wolf's bane, a fast-acting toxin that can cause nausea, vomiting, paralysis, breathing difficulties, and heart problems before killing you, is distinguishable by its lovely blossoms. Similar to belladonna, it was a well-liked poison in ancient Rome and was used to make poison arrows in China.
7points

#14 Hemlock (Conium Maculatum)

Hemlock (Conium Maculatum)
Hemlock is an invasive plant that can reach heights of 2.4 meters and is exceedingly resilient and poisonous. Particularly dangerous are its seeds and roots. Hemlock is poisonous, but if that weren't enough to put you off, it also has an offensive odor that travels on the wind. Hemlock was used to poison criminals in ancient Greece, including the philosopher Socrates.
7points

#15 Carrion Plant (Stapelia Gigantea)

Carrion Plant (Stapelia Gigantea)
The carrion flower, sometimes known as a toad flower, is a flowering plant that is indigenous to the desert regions of Tanzania and South Africa. Its name derives from how truly disgusting it smells. To entice flies to pollinate it, it produces a stench reminiscent of decaying flesh. Scientists are attempting to use the plant to inhibit human appetites because it smells so awful.
7points

#16 Doll's Eye (Actaea Pachypoda)

Doll's Eye (Actaea Pachypoda)
The black stigmas in the white berries give the white baneberry its nickname of "doll's eye," as they resemble a collection of eyeballs on stalks. If the eerie sight of this baneberry wasn't enough to scare you away, it is also toxic to people due to its instant sedative effect on muscular tissue. Birds are the primary mechanism of the plant's spread and are attracted to innocuous berries.
7points

#17 Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia Purpurea)

Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia Purpurea)
There are 18 kinds of carnivorous plants in the Great White North, including the purple pitcher plant, even though you might not assume there are many of them there. Small hairs that are angled downward inside the plant catch insects after they slide down its slimy insides. As soon as it enters the plant, the creature is submerged in water and eaten by the plant.
7points

#18 Cape Sundew (Drosera Capensis)

Cape Sundew (Drosera Capensis)
The color and shape of the cape sundew, a South African native, are reminiscent of ribbon candy. The plant's "arms," which are leaves covered in sap, trap insects. Cape sundew plants can live in a range of temperatures and are prolific breeders. It is listed as an invasive plant species in New Zealand.
7points

#19 Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana Major)

Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana Major)
The orchid known as the "flying duck" gets its name from how much it resembles a bird. The reddish-brown color of the 20-inch-tall shrub enables it to blend into its natural Australian setting. Knowing that the unusual plant cannot thrive outside of Australia will deter gardeners from including it in their landscapes.
7points

#20 Devil’s Tooth (Hydnellum Peckii)

Devil’s Tooth (Hydnellum Peckii)
This plant is indigenous to both Europe and North America. Its appearance as a bleeding surface is what makes it strange. The vertical spines or tooth-like projections that hang from the underside of the fruit bodies of this plant's hynoid species generate spores on their surface. The common names are red-juice tooth, strawberry and cream, and bleeding tooth fungus.
7points
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