Discover a mesmerizing collection of some of the world’s rarest and most elusive flowers. These botanical wonders are so uncommon that most people will never see them in real life — and their stories are just as fascinating as their appearances.1. Middlemist Red
Often referred to as the rarest flower on Earth, only two known specimens of the Middlemist Red exist — one in New Zealand and the other in the UK. This vibrant camellia was originally brought from China in the early 1800s and has since all but vanished in the wild. The flower was originally collected from China by John Middlemist, a nurseryman from Shepherd’s Bush, in 1804 and given to Kew Gardens. “The credit to bring this beautiful flower to Chiswick, West London goes to John Middlemist and this is how, it got its now popular name,” according to Arena Flowers. However, the flower disappeared from there and from its native country, possibly due to overcultivation.
2. Ghost Orchid
Shrouded in mystery and thriving in deep swamps, the Ghost Orchid is almost invisible against the forest backdrop. Native to Florida and the Caribbean, it requires specific fungi to survive, making it incredibly difficult to cultivate or even find. Ghost orchids are hard to find, because once the blossoms drop off, only the roots remain. As soon as summer rains and humidity return to the forest, ghost orchids spring to life, producing multiple spikes, buds and blooms. They usually bloom between June and October. Discovered in July 2007 by volunteers looking for owls, the “super” ghost orchid has been in the spotlight each summer as it continues to produce many flowers. It is the largest ghost orchid known, hence the name. Year after year, the “super” ghost, one of several ghost orchids on record at the Sanctuary, has drawn attention from orchid aficionados and photographers from around the world.
3. Kadupul Flower
This ethereal white flower from Sri Lanka blooms only at night and wilts before dawn, making sightings rare and magical. Its fleeting nature has given rise to spiritual and mystical associations across cultures. The Kadupul flower, known scientifically as Epiphyllum oxypetalum, is renowned for its transient beauty and ethereal elegance. Native to the rainforests of Sri Lanka, this exotic flower has captivated the hearts of botanists, horticulturists, and enthusiasts around the globe. Its mythology is steeped in cultural significance, often associated with love and spirituality, making it a cherished symbol within its homeland.
4.Gibraltar Campion
Silene tomentosa, the Gibraltar campion, is a very rare flowering plant of the genus Silene and the family Caryophyllaceae. It is a woody-based perennial about 40cm high, with bilobed flowers ranging from pink to pale violet and is endemic to Gibraltar. Once declared extinct, the Gibraltar Campion was rediscovered in the cliffs of Gibraltar in 1994. It grows in extremely isolated locations and is protected due to its critically endangered status.
5. According to legend, this flower blooms once every 3,000 years. Though not scientifically confirmed, its appearance is undeniably rare — tiny, fragrant, and often discovered by chance. Youtan Poluo - Youtan Poluo is a flower which does not have any scientific name and if botanical experts are to be believed it blooms only once in 3000 years. It was discovered by a Chinese farmer named Mr. Ding when the plant was found growing in his steel pipes. The mysterious plant is made out of 28 pieces of minuscule, white sweet-smelling flowers measuring a mere 1 mm According to Indian myth, it is believed to blossom only when the Sage King of the future visits the present world.
6. Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum)
Known for its massive size and foul odor, the Corpse Flower blooms rarely — sometimes once in a decade. Native to Sumatra, it attracts global attention when it finally unfurls. This is the world's largest ‘unbranched’ flower, reaching 6 feet+ in flower height! This species is known as the “giant corpse flower” for its putrid scent, which attracts flies for pollination. We offer progeny from our two giant parents, ‘Audrey’ and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. The seedlings offered in 2024 have germinated as of July, and under ideal conditions, can reach blooming size within 8 to 12 years. The warmer the growing conditions the better, as this is a lowland Southeast Asian plant from Sumatra.
7.Chocolate Cosmos
Native to Mexico, this velvety, dark maroon flower emits a delicious chocolate-like scent. Although extinct in the wild, it survives through cultivated, non-reproducing clones. Chocolate cosmos is a flower to whet any gardener's appetite. The unique blooms are a rich, dark maroon with velvety rounded petals and dark brown centers. Their most outstanding characteristic may be their chocolaty-vanilla fragrance. The flowers are similar to garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) yet a bit smaller, measuring an inch and a half across.
8.Parrot’s Beak (Lotus berthelotii) This flaming red flower is rarely seen in the wild today. Its unique shape resembles a bird’s beak, and it's now mostly preserved through botanical gardens. Lotus berthelotii is a flowering plant endemic to the Canary Islands of Spain, in the genus Lotus of the pea family Fabaceae. Among its common names are lotus vine flower, parrot (or parrot's) beak, pelican beak, and coral gem. This plant is widely cultivated but is either extinct in the wild or persists as a few individuals. In 1884 it was already classed as "exceedingly rare" and plant collection probably hastened its decline.
9.Juliet Rose
Dubbed the "£3 million rose," the Juliet Rose was developed over 15 years. It’s prized for its peach-toned petals and delicate fragrance, making it both rare and highly valuable. Sweet Juliet is an exceptionally healthy flower and heavy feeder that blooms for around half of the year. It loves full sunlight and soil that is well-drained. The shrub has a lot of upright branches growing right from the base of the stem, thus making it the perfect flowering shrub to grow. The plant is generally disease-resistant as well.
10.Blue Puya (Puya berteroniana)
This electric blue flower from the Andes draws hummingbirds with its vivid color and sweet nectar. It blooms infrequently and only in high-altitude environments, making it a truly rare sight.
These flowers remind us of nature’s fragility and beauty. Whether hidden in remote forests or blooming under the moonlight, they captivate our imagination and deepen our appreciation for Earth’s botanical wonders.
Often referred to as the rarest flower on Earth, only two known specimens of the Middlemist Red exist — one in New Zealand and the other in the UK. This vibrant camellia was originally brought from China in the early 1800s and has since all but vanished in the wild. The flower was originally collected from China by John Middlemist, a nurseryman from Shepherd’s Bush, in 1804 and given to Kew Gardens. “The credit to bring this beautiful flower to Chiswick, West London goes to John Middlemist and this is how, it got its now popular name,” according to Arena Flowers. However, the flower disappeared from there and from its native country, possibly due to overcultivation.
2. Ghost OrchidShrouded in mystery and thriving in deep swamps, the Ghost Orchid is almost invisible against the forest backdrop. Native to Florida and the Caribbean, it requires specific fungi to survive, making it incredibly difficult to cultivate or even find. Ghost orchids are hard to find, because once the blossoms drop off, only the roots remain. As soon as summer rains and humidity return to the forest, ghost orchids spring to life, producing multiple spikes, buds and blooms. They usually bloom between June and October. Discovered in July 2007 by volunteers looking for owls, the “super” ghost orchid has been in the spotlight each summer as it continues to produce many flowers. It is the largest ghost orchid known, hence the name. Year after year, the “super” ghost, one of several ghost orchids on record at the Sanctuary, has drawn attention from orchid aficionados and photographers from around the world.
3. Kadupul FlowerThis ethereal white flower from Sri Lanka blooms only at night and wilts before dawn, making sightings rare and magical. Its fleeting nature has given rise to spiritual and mystical associations across cultures. The Kadupul flower, known scientifically as Epiphyllum oxypetalum, is renowned for its transient beauty and ethereal elegance. Native to the rainforests of Sri Lanka, this exotic flower has captivated the hearts of botanists, horticulturists, and enthusiasts around the globe. Its mythology is steeped in cultural significance, often associated with love and spirituality, making it a cherished symbol within its homeland.
4.Gibraltar CampionSilene tomentosa, the Gibraltar campion, is a very rare flowering plant of the genus Silene and the family Caryophyllaceae. It is a woody-based perennial about 40cm high, with bilobed flowers ranging from pink to pale violet and is endemic to Gibraltar. Once declared extinct, the Gibraltar Campion was rediscovered in the cliffs of Gibraltar in 1994. It grows in extremely isolated locations and is protected due to its critically endangered status.
5. According to legend, this flower blooms once every 3,000 years. Though not scientifically confirmed, its appearance is undeniably rare — tiny, fragrant, and often discovered by chance. Youtan Poluo - Youtan Poluo is a flower which does not have any scientific name and if botanical experts are to be believed it blooms only once in 3000 years. It was discovered by a Chinese farmer named Mr. Ding when the plant was found growing in his steel pipes. The mysterious plant is made out of 28 pieces of minuscule, white sweet-smelling flowers measuring a mere 1 mm According to Indian myth, it is believed to blossom only when the Sage King of the future visits the present world.6. Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum)Known for its massive size and foul odor, the Corpse Flower blooms rarely — sometimes once in a decade. Native to Sumatra, it attracts global attention when it finally unfurls. This is the world's largest ‘unbranched’ flower, reaching 6 feet+ in flower height! This species is known as the “giant corpse flower” for its putrid scent, which attracts flies for pollination. We offer progeny from our two giant parents, ‘Audrey’ and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. The seedlings offered in 2024 have germinated as of July, and under ideal conditions, can reach blooming size within 8 to 12 years. The warmer the growing conditions the better, as this is a lowland Southeast Asian plant from Sumatra.
7.Chocolate CosmosNative to Mexico, this velvety, dark maroon flower emits a delicious chocolate-like scent. Although extinct in the wild, it survives through cultivated, non-reproducing clones. Chocolate cosmos is a flower to whet any gardener's appetite. The unique blooms are a rich, dark maroon with velvety rounded petals and dark brown centers. Their most outstanding characteristic may be their chocolaty-vanilla fragrance. The flowers are similar to garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) yet a bit smaller, measuring an inch and a half across.
8.Parrot’s Beak (Lotus berthelotii) This flaming red flower is rarely seen in the wild today. Its unique shape resembles a bird’s beak, and it's now mostly preserved through botanical gardens. Lotus berthelotii is a flowering plant endemic to the Canary Islands of Spain, in the genus Lotus of the pea family Fabaceae. Among its common names are lotus vine flower, parrot (or parrot's) beak, pelican beak, and coral gem. This plant is widely cultivated but is either extinct in the wild or persists as a few individuals. In 1884 it was already classed as "exceedingly rare" and plant collection probably hastened its decline.9.Juliet RoseDubbed the "£3 million rose," the Juliet Rose was developed over 15 years. It’s prized for its peach-toned petals and delicate fragrance, making it both rare and highly valuable. Sweet Juliet is an exceptionally healthy flower and heavy feeder that blooms for around half of the year. It loves full sunlight and soil that is well-drained. The shrub has a lot of upright branches growing right from the base of the stem, thus making it the perfect flowering shrub to grow. The plant is generally disease-resistant as well.
10.Blue Puya (Puya berteroniana)This electric blue flower from the Andes draws hummingbirds with its vivid color and sweet nectar. It blooms infrequently and only in high-altitude environments, making it a truly rare sight.
These flowers remind us of nature’s fragility and beauty. Whether hidden in remote forests or blooming under the moonlight, they captivate our imagination and deepen our appreciation for Earth’s botanical wonders.
