Unusual and Weird Flowers

The bloom or blossom is commonly called a flower, the reproduction process of the genus Prunus or flowers of the stone fruit tress, and the flowering plants of the Magnoliophyta division or angiosperms. The flowers give rise to fruit and seeds, and evolved to attract animals and insects, so as to cause them to be vectors for the transfer of pollen.  Flowers reproduction by humans by growing flowering plants, to beautify their gardens and environmental , and as an object of romance, religions and rituals, medicinal use and source of food.

1) Unusual and weird Bee Orchid

Ophrys apifera, known as the bee orchid in Europe, is an herbaceous perennial plant from the Orchidaceae family. The name “Ophrys” came from the Greek word ophrys, which means “eyebrow“, while the apifera came from Latin specific epithet  which means the bee-shaped lip. 

Bumblebee Orchid

Ophrys bombyliflora, the species of Ophrys or bee orchid is called the  bumblebee orchid. The Greek Ophrys, genus name refers  to the hairy lips of the flowers of this genus, and the bombyflora specific epithet came form the Greek bombylios or bumblebee referring to the flower’s appearance.  It is commonly pollinated by males solitary bees, of the genus Eucera, which means in language of flowers, sometimes called floriography is industry.

Waling-Waling Orchids

Euanthe sanderiana is a flower of the orchid family, commonly called Waling-waling found in the Philippines. It was called  Sander’s Euanthe,  after Henry Frederick Conrad Sander a famous orchidologist. The waling-waling orchid is worshiped by “Diwata” (fairies), and considered as the “Queen of Philippine flowers” by the Bagobo people, the native people of Davao. It was previously named Vanda sanderiana of the genus Euanthe sanderiana by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach.

2) Unusual and weird Vanda Orchids

 

Vanda tricolor is an orchid species commonly found growing in Laos, and Java to Bali, Indonesia. The  Vanda insignis is an orchid species endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands.

Vanda ustii, is an orchid species found in the University of Santo Tomas’ vanda,  found only in the Philippines and was named after the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Vanda coerulea, commonly known as Blue Vanda or Autumn Lady’s Tresses, is an orchid species endemic to Assam and neighboring Khasi hills with its range to China extending to southern Yunnan. In Assamese it is commonly called as Bhatou phul, in Manipuri it is Kwaklei, in Mizo it is October and in Sanskrit it is known Vaandar. It has bluish purple flowers which has long lasting life compared to other orchids, and the only orchid species with the true blue flowers (the Thelymitra crinita.  The juice of flower is used as eye drops against glaucoma, cataract and blindness. The Vanda coerulea active ingredients, may fight against the visible signs of aging skin.

Vanda denisoniana is an orchid species found in Yunnan, China to northern Indochina.

Vanda ‘Miss Joaquim’ is a hybrid orchid cultivar, and also called as the Singapore Orchid and the Princess Aloha Orchid, and known to be Singapore’s national flower.

Aerides flabellata is an orchid species.

Airport Orchid (Oncidium)

Oncidium, abbreviated as Onc. in the horticultural trade, with its name deriving from the Greek word “onkos“, which means “swelling“, referring to the lower lip of the callus.  The Oncidium flowers genus come in shades of yellow, red, white and pink.

Aganisia Cyanea Orchid

Aganisia cyanea (formerly acacallis cyanea) is an orchid species of showy from Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil that is remarkable because some specific plants of this species produce ‘true blue‘ colored flowers, the color blue being quite rare among the orchids.

Blue Lady Orchid

Thelymitra crinita, commonly called as the Blue Lady Orchid, the Queen Orchid, the Lily Orchid or the Long-haired Thelymitra, is an orchid species which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It grows to 70 cm in height and produces blue flowers between September and November (spring) in its native range.

3)  The floriography or language of flowers, which means communication in which varieties of flower used as floral arrangements during the Victorian era, sending coded messages, allowing a person to express their feelings through these flowers as a gift, which otherwise could not be spoken. This language of flowers or floriography was commonly used for communicating through a Tussie-Mussies otherwise known as nosegay, or posy, a small flower bouquet typically given to a person as a gift, an art which has a following today. In the early 1400′s, the “Tussie-mussie” is a quaint, endearing term for small, round bouquets of herbs and flowers with ­symbolic meanings. Many flowers have important symbolic meanings in Western culture, and the practice of assigning meanings to flowers is known as flioraphy.

4)  Red Roses are given as a symbol of love, beauty, and passion.

Inevitably there are geographic variances,  for example in Texas, yellow roses,  represent true and undying love.

5) An Anemone signifies unfading love, or forsaken, sickness, unfading love.

Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the Anemone genus in the Ranunculaceae family, commonluy growing in Europe. Common names are wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed, windflower, and smell fox, an implication to the leaves’ musky smell, and a perennial herbaceous plant, growing in early spring.  Yellow wood anemone, Anemone ranunculoides, also known as the buttercup anemone, is a similar plant with slightly smaller flowers of rich yellow coloring. The plant contains poisonous chemicals that are toxic to animals including humans, but it has also been used as a medicine. Greek anemone means “daughter of the wind“, but some  suggest that this is a folk etymology, and that the word actually comes from a Semitic language.  The wood anemone (A. nemorosa) also known as “windflower” is used for the whole genus.

6)  Daffodil or Narcissus flowers

Narcissus flower also called daffodil, is a genus of mainly hardy, mostly spring-flowering, herbaceous perennials in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae.  Their native range includes Europe, North Africa and West Asia—their center of distribution is in the Western Mediterranean.  All Narcissus species contain the alkaloid poison lycorine, mostly in the bulb but also in the leaves.  A pansy signifies thought, a daffodil respect, and a strand of ivy signifies fidelity and friendship.

Unusual and weird Pansy flowers

This group of flowers hybrid plants cultivated as garden flowers is called pansy. Pansies are derived from viola species hybridized Viola tricolor with other viola species, these hybrids are referred to as Viola wittrockiana or less commonly Viola tricolor hortensis. Some unrelated species, such as the Pansy Monkeyflower , also have “pansy” in their name.  The common words “pansy” and “viola” are often confused. Pansies have four petals pointing upwards, and only one pointing down. Violas have three petals pointing up and two pointing down. However, the Viola cornutta  is correctly referred to as a pansy. However, modern horticulturalists tend to use the term “pansy” for those multi-coloured large-flowered hybrids that are grown for bedding purposes every year, while “viola” is usually reserved for smaller, more delicate annuals and perennials.

A common wild flowers commonly found in Europe, is known as the Viola tricolor, also called as heartsease, heart’s ease, heart’s delight, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, come-and-cuddle-me, three faces in a hood, or love-in-idleness, is a short lived perennial plant growing annually.  It was introduced into North America, where it has spread widely, and is known as the johnny jump up (though this name is also applied to similar species such as the yellow pansy). It is the progenitor of the cultivated pansy, and sometimes called wild pansy. Thus, before the cultivated pansies were developed, “pansy” was an alternative name for the wild form. The V. tricolor  is one of many viola plant species containing cyclotides (small disulfide rich peptides isolated from plant cyclotides). These small peptides have proven to be useful in drug development due to their size and structure giving rise to high stability. Many cyclotides, found in Viola tricolor are cyclotoxic and this feature could be used to treat cancers. 

7)  Unusual and Weird Arum Flower

 Arum is a genus of about 25 flowering plants species in the Araceae family, native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region. Frequently called “arum lilies“, they are not closely related to the true Lilium lilies.

Amorphophallus titanum  a flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, called  the titan arum. The titan arum’s inflorescence is not as large as that of the talipot palm( Corupha umbraculifera ), but the inflorescence of the talipot palm is branched rather than unbranched.   Due to its odor, which is reminiscent of the smell of a decomposing mammal, the titan arum is characterized as a carrion flower, and is also known as the “Corpse flower “, or ” corpse plant” ( Indonesian name is bunga bangkai ( bunga means flower,  while bangkai means corpse or cadaver). For the same reason, the title “corpse flower” is also attributed to the genus Rafflesia which, like the titan arum, grows in the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Talipot Palm (Corupha umbraculifera)

Corypha umbraculifera, the talipot palm, is a palm species  native to southern Malabar Coast, India and Sri Lanka.

Weird and unusual Carrion Flowers are stinking flowers that emit an odor that smells like rotten flesh of an animal.  Carrion flowers attract the scavenging flies, beetles as heir pollinators. Most species trap the insects temporarily to ensure that these insects gather and transfer the pollen.
Here are the Carrion flowers that we should know:

Arum  flower which means “ardor”.

8)  Weird and unusual Anthurium Flowers

Anthurium   is a large genus of estimated 600–800 flowering plant species, belonging to the arum family (Araceae). The Anthurium is sometimes called “flamingo flower” or “boy flower“, both referring to the structure of the spathe and spadix.    Many species are undoubtedly not yet described and new ones are being found every year. The species has neotropical distribution, mostly in wet tropical mountain forest of Central and South America, but some in semi-arid environments. Most species grow and found in Panama, Colombia, Brazil, the Guiana Shield and Ecuador.

9)  Weird Sunflowers

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant growing commonly to Americas. Possessing a large flowering head or inflorescence. The sunflower is named after its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image are often used to depict the sun. It has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads of flowers. The heads consist of many individual flowers which mature into seeds, often in the hundreds, on a receptacle base. The sunflower seeds, was brought to Europe from America in the 16th century, along with the sunflower oil, and became a famous cooking ingredients. The sunflower leaves can be used for feeding the cattle, and the sunflower stem contains a fiber used for producing papers. In the Language of flowers, the sunflower signifies respect or haughtiness, pure and lofty thoughts.

10) Unusual and weird Asphodelus flowers

Asphodelus is a perennial plants native to western, central and southern Europe, but now spread worldwide. In the the Language of flowers, the Asphodelus flowers signifies My regrets follow you to the grave!

The Centaurea cyanusotherwise called as Cornflower, Bachelors button, Bluebottle, Boutonniere flower, Hurtsickle, Cyani flower, is a small annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe. “Cornflower” is also erroneously used for chicory. The cornflower signifies celibacy, Single blessedness.

11) Weird Peony Flowers

Peony or paeony is a plants in the Paeonia genus, the only genus in the Paeoniaceae flowering plant family.  They grow and commonly found in Asia, Southern Europe and Western North America. It is not clear about the boundaries  between species and estimates of the number of species ranged from 25 to 40.  The Peony flowers, signifies shame, bashfulness, prosperity and honor (in China) and in Japan it signifies bravery and masculinity.

12)  Carnation Flower

Dianthus caryophyllus (Clove Pink) is a species of Dianthus, can be found growing at the Mediterranean region, but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years. It is the wild ancestor of the garden carnation.   Carnation signifies fascination, distinction, love, sweet, lovely, innocence, pure love, failthfulness, a woman’s love, a mother’s love, “I will never forget you” and “you are Always on my mind”.

13) Unusual and weird Dahlia flowers

Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants that commnly grow and found in Central America, Colombia and Mexico. This unusual floweris an Asteraceae family member or Compositae, dicotyledonous plants, related species include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum and zinnia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia, with hybrids  commonly grown as garden plants.  Dahlia flowers, signifies dignity and elegance.

Daisy Flowers

Gerbera or daisy  signifies in the Language of Flowers, innocence, loyal love, purity, faith, cheer, simplicity, “beauty unknown to possessor”.

14)  Dandelion Flowers

Since 1265, in the British Isles, they consumed Dandelion and burdock beverages. It was originally a type of light mead  but over the years has evolved into the non-alcoholic soft drink commercially available today. Traditionally it was made from fermented dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and burdock (Arctium lappa) roots. These weird dandelion flowers signifies flirting and coquetry.

15) Weird and Unusual Protea Flowers

Unusual and weird King Protea or Protea Cynaroides

 The flowering plant of King Protea (Protea cynaroides), is a distinctive Protea, having the largest flower head in the genus. King Protea species is also known as Giant Protea, Honeypot or King Sugar Bush. It is widely distributed in the southwestern and southern parts of South Africa of the fynbos region. The National Flower of South Africa is the King Protea.  Protea cynaroides is adapted to survive the fires by its thick underground stem, which contains many dormant buds; these will produce the new growth after the fire.  It signifies courage. 

Unusual and weird Western Cape Protea flowers

16) Unusual and weird Poppy Flowers

Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime. The weird and unusual  Poppy flowers have 4 to 6 petals, and have variety of color and some markings. Before blooming, the petals are crumpled in the bud, and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away. A whorl of stamens is in the center of the flower.   The pollen of the oriental poppy, Papaver orientale is dark blue. The pollen of the field poppy or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is dark green to grey. The bees use poppies poppies as a pollen source. The general significant of these unusual poppy flower, is eternal sleep, oblivion and imagination. The red poppy signifies pleasure , the white poppy signifies consolation, dreams, modern, peace, and the yellow poppy signifies wealth, success.

17) Camelia Japonica flowers 

Camellia japonica (the Japanese camellia) is one of the best known genus Camellia species. Sometimes it is called the Rose of winter, and it belongs to the Theaceae family. It is the official state flower of Alabama. This unusual and weird flower in the wild, is found commonly in mainland Shandong, China, east Zhejiang, Taiwan, southern Korea and southern Japan. It grows in forests, at altitudes of around 980 to 3,600 ft.  The Camellia japonica signifies “unpretending excellence“.

18)  Unusual and weird Witch-hazel (Hamamelis)

Witch-hazel (Hamamelis) is a genus of flowering plants in the Hamamelidaceae family, with three species of H. ovalis, H. virginiana and H. vernalis (North America), and one in Japan, H. japonica and H. mollis in China. The North American species are rarely called winterbloom. The use of the twigs as divining rods, just as hazel twigs were used in England, may also have, by folk etymology, influenced the “witch” part of the name.  It signifies “a magic spell“.

19) Unusual and weird Thistle Flowers

Thistle is a flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles  often occur all over the plant, on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves.The Thistle is thefloral emblem of Scotland. Thistle flowers signifies “nobility“.

Tulip Flower

The tulip is a bulbous and perennial plants with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, with estimated 109 species. The genus’s native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, Israel, North Africa, Anatolia and Iran to the Northwest China. The Tulips cultivars are grown in gardens, as potted plants, or to display as fresh-cut flowers. Most cultivars of tulip are derived from Tulipa gesneriana. The red tulips signifies ” undying love“, and the yellow tulips signifies hopeless love, the blue tulip signifies faithfulness and the white tulip signifies modesty.

Hyacinth Flowers

Hyacinthus is a small genus of bulbous flowering plants in the Asparagaceae family, subfamily Scilloideae, and these plants, are commonly called hyacinths . The Hyacinthus is native to the eastern Mediterranean (from south Turkey to northern Israel), north-east Iran and Turkmenistan. Hyacinth bulbs  are poisonous, they contain oxalic acid. Holding a  hyacinth bulbs can cause mild irritation to people with sensitive skin. Protective gloves may be worn to avoid irritation.    Hyacinths are sometimes associated with rebirth. The Hyacinth flower is used in the Persian New Year’s celebration, Norouz, and these Hyacinth flowers are used for their Haftseen table settings, during the Spring Equinox.

20)  Unusual and Weird Birds of Paradise Flowers

Strelitzia  is a genus of five species of perennial plants commonly found in South Africa.  The genus common name is the bird of paradise flower, because of a supposed resemblance of its flowers to the bird of paradise. In South Africa it is commonly known as a crane flower.  The bird of paradise flowers, signifies liberty, magnificence, faithfulness (if given by a man to woman), and good perspective. 

Heliconia Flower

 The Heliconia flowers, derived from helikonios, a Greek word, and a genus of  100 to 200 flowering plants species, native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests of these regions. Common names for the genus include lobster-claws, wild plantains or false bird-of-paradise. The last term refers to their close similarity to the bird-of-paradise flowers Strelitzia and these plants are referred to as heliconias.

Mimosa pudica or Shy Plant or Sensitive Plant

Mimosa pudica is known as sensitive plant or touch-me-not plants, a creeping or perennial herb often grows annually.   “shy, bashful or shrinking”, the compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken, re-opening minutes later. The mimosa pudica species is native to South America and Central America,  but is now a pantropical weed. The Mimosa pudicais well known for its rapid plant movement. The Mimosa pudica or sensitive plants signifies sensitivity, shy, bashful or shrinking.

Star of Betlehem flowers

Ornithogalum arabicum is a species of star of Betlehem commonly found growing in a variety of areas of Europe.  The Star of Betlehem ( Ornithogalum arabicum) signifies atonement and reconciliation.

Houseleeks

The Sempervivum otherwise known as Houseleeks or Liveforever, are a genus of more or less 40 species, of succulent plants  of the Crassulaceae family, growing in a form of rosettes. It is sometimes known as Hen and chicks. The Sempervivum or Houseleeks plants, commonly grows and found in the mountains of Iberia, the Alps, Carpathians, Balkan mountains, Turkey, the Armenian mountains northeastern part of the Shara Desert and the Caucasus. The Houseleeks plants have the ability to store water in their thick leaves allowing them to live on sunny rocks and stony places in the mountain, alpine belts and sub-alpine. These unusual and weird flowers, signifies ” domestic economy“.

Hens and Chicks Plants

Hen and chicks also called Hen-and-chickens, or Hen-and-biddies in the American South, native to northern Africa and Europe. Growing closely to the ground with leaves in a rosette form and propagating offsets. The ” hen” is the main or mother plant and the “chicks” are the ‘offsprng, which start as a tiny buds on the main plant and sprout soon their roots, closer to the “mother plant”. The unusual and weird  Hen and chicks is also the popular name of a strain of opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) where the seed head is surrounded by clusters of small heads.

Chrysanthemum Flowers

Chrysanthemums, are often called mums or chrysanths, and these perennial flowering plants of the genus Chrysanthemum commonly grow and found in Asia and northeastern Europe, estimated to have 30 species . in the family Asteraceae. The mums or Chrysanthemum, are abbreviated by the florists to “Xants”.
The red mums, signifies “I love” and the yellow mums signifies ” slighted love“.