In the world of plants, some have been known to exist. But some have been lost to time, and others have not been discovered yet.
These plants are so rare; in fact, it's hard to believe they even exist.
We have created a list of the top 5 of these plants - the ones you might never get a chance to see otherwise.
Here's our list of five rare species that won't be found growing around every corner.
Top 5 World's Rarest Plants
- Rafflesia Arnoldii
Commonly referred to as the world’s largest individual flower or ‘the great padma’, Rafflesia Arnoldii, is one of the rarest plants to find. Another name given to this plant is ‘corpse plant’, because of its strong and unpleasant odour similar to that of decaying flesh.
This plant is stemless, leafless, parasitic, with an apetalous flower measuring 3 inches-3 feet in diameter. With its number now greatly reduced, it is considered an endangered species.
You may find Rafflesia Arnoldii in the dense rainforests of Sumatra, Borneo, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
- Encephalartos Woodii
Also known as Wood’s cycad, Encephalartos Woodii, is a rare cycad and one of the rarest plants in the world. This plant is considered being extinct in the wild with all specimens being clones of the type.
This cycad variety had both male and female plants, but specimens of female plants no longer exist, which has halted propagation. The male plant is now being conserved.
The Encephalartos Woodii is found in the oNgoye Forest of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
- Nepenthes Tenax
This tropical pitcher plant is a lowland species native to northern Queensland, Australia. It has a pitcher-shaped flower on its top that measures up to 15cms. The plant itself grows up to a height of 100cms.
As a carnivorous plant, Nepenthes Tenax feeds on frogs and insects, but occasionally rats can be found digesting within it.
This plant is now a part of the endangered species of the world.
- Pennantia Baylisiana
Scoring a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s rarest tree, Pennantia Baylisiana is an extinct plant of the world that is very rare to find. Only one tree survives at the Three Kings Islands off the New Zealand coast.
There are some controversial findings of this plant's gender. While some botanists argue that this is a female species, some state otherwise.
Pennantia Baylisiana has a slow growth rate, taking about ten years to grow into a mature plant, provided it is in a favourable environment.
- Ghost Orchid
Named after the shape of its petals, the Ghost Orchid is listed as one of the rarest plants in the world. It’s found in Cuba, Florida, and the Bahamas.
When this uncommon orchid blooms, it gives off a soap-like odour.
This plant requires high temperature and high humidity to grow, making it nearly impossible to cultivate outside its natural habitat. Hence, the fact that most of its natural habitat is getting destroyed makes the Ghost Orchid even rarer.
Some plants are rarer than others; as in the plants listed above. They are either endangered or extinct and are prone to stop existing.
It's important to always encourage plant conservation and help them avoid becoming extinct.
Care Tips for Rare Plants
- Put them in their natural environments
One of the major reasons why these plants are rare is because they can only live in a certain environment. And when they are in the wrong environments and subjected to unfavourable conditions, they can’t survive.
To keep these rare plants alive and healthy, gardeners need to make sure that they are put in their natural environments respectively. For instance, Rafflesia arnoldii grows in the rainforests of Indonesia, Encephalartos Woodii is endemic to the oNgoye Forest of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
- Let there be the right amount of light
For every photosynthetic plant, sunlight is essential for its survival. However, if not regularized, the amount of sunlight that a plant gets exposed to can threaten its health.
To put rare plants in their best environments, gardeners must consider the exact range of sunlight that’s required by the plant to thrive.
- Get them the right dirt
Rare plants need the right supplements of nutrients to survive. And to give them the right nutrients, gardeners must place them on the right soil, provide them with the right manure while avoiding under- or over-feeding them.
- Don’t overwater them, don’t underwater them
Another essential tip of caring for rare plants is to provide them with only the right amount of water. Rare plants can only survive when they are watered appropriately – not under-watered or over-watered.
- Taking care of rare plants is tricky but it is possible.
As uncommon plants, it’s understandable that most gardeners are not used to caring for them, and this can be challenging and tricky. However, when put in the right environment, promptly provided with their essentials, and paid rapt attention to, rare plants can thrive and live healthily.