Plants of unusual shape. The most unusual plants in the world

Did you know that the tallest trees are over 100 meters tall? Have you heard anything about plants that can “kill” and “eat” animals? In this article you will learn a lot of surprising, interesting and even shocking things about the life of plants.

1. Velvichia is amazing (Welwitschia mirabilis).

Photo source:

This desert dwarf tree can be up to 2000 years old. From the short stump-like trunk of the plant, two huge leaves extend in both directions, which, as they grow, tear longitudinally into ribbons, and the tips dry out. These giant leaves are as old as the tree. The leaves continually grow from the base and the tips die back. In some cases, the length of the leaves can reach 8 meters and the width 1.8 meters.

The genus Amorphophallus, as well as the genus Rafflesia, is famous for its “subtle aroma” of decaying flesh. The smell coming from the flower is terrible. Few people are able to admire the amorphophallus without a gas mask. The flower of most representatives of this genus is huge in size (Especially the species shown in the photo Amorphophallus titanum) and can reach a height of 2.5 meters with a diameter of 1.5 meters. In many eastern countries, the tubers of this plant are used in the preparation of various culinary dishes and medicines.

(Opuntia bigelovii)

Photo sources:

Opuntia Bigelow is probably one of the most amazing species of the Opuntia genus of the Cactus family. The photo above was taken in California's Joshua Tree National Park. In the photograph, the entire desert landscape to the horizon is covered with amazing fluffy cacti, up to two meters high. In the rays of the setting sun the landscape looks fantastic. The person here has the impression that he, as part of a space expedition, landed on another planet covered with unknown life forms.

5. Carnegia gianta (Carnegiea gigantea)

Photo sources:

Carnegia gigantea (Saguaro) is another amazing plant of the Cactus family. The most amazing feature of this cactus is its gigantic size. The height of individual plants is about 14 meters, and the diameter is more than 3 meters! Moreover, the age of individual cacti reaches 150 years.

(Nepenthes)

Photo sources:

Most plants from this genus can be called, without exaggeration, “predators”, which obtain the necessary missing nutrients by “digesting” captured insects. The plant has modified leaves that resemble pitchers in shape. The inner surface of the jug is lined with cells that secrete nectar, which serves to attract insects, as well as “hair cells” that make the release of an insect caught in the net impossible. The surface of the “neck” of the jug is very slippery, so there is practically no chance for an insect walking along the neck not to slip down. The insect falls into the water (in some species the jug can contain up to 2 liters of water) and drowns. Next, enzymes are produced that completely “digest” the insect. Sometimes not only insects are trapped, but even mice, rats, birds.

The Venus flytrap is an even more amazing “killer plant” that takes more active measures to kill its prey. The modified “jaw” leaves of this plant encroach on the life of not only insects, but also the life of .

You can “enjoy” the rest of the amazing “combat feats” of the Venus flytrap in the video.

(Ficus benghalensis)

Photo source:

At first glance, it may seem that the photo above depicts a forest. In fact, it is one single tree. Ficus Bengal forms powerful branches to support which shoots grow, which, falling down to the ground, take root, forming powerful columns-trunks.

9. Sequoia evergreen (Sequoia sempervirens)

Photo source:

Sequoia evergreen is the tallest tree on our planet. Our temperate forests are mere grass compared to the forest of these mighty giants. The height of many trees exceeds 110 meters, and their age is more than 3500 years! Previously, houses were hollowed out in sequoia trunks and even tunnels were cut through which roads passed. In windy weather, many visitors to the forest of giants feel uneasy from the noisy “grinding” and swaying of the mighty sequoia trunks. Grows in California.

Amazing things are nearby! It would seem that everything around us is so familiar and ordinary that there are very few things around that can capture the human imagination. In fact, the master Nature painted many pictures with a magic brush and created countless beautiful creations, scattering them chaotically across all corners of the planet.

Therefore, anywhere in the world there is always the opportunity to witness a miracle - fantastic and extraordinary. Amazing animals and plants delight, delight and make people talk about themselves.

Eucalyptus is one of the tallest plants on the planet

Australia's tallest tree, an evergreen skyscraper reaching a height of 100 meters, is a eucalyptus. This strange giant, rivaling in size the American sequoia, deserves attention only for its impressive height. The growth rate of this beauty outpaces the growth of bark on its trunks, which often hangs on mature trees in the form of rags. Only in the first year of life the young tree reaches 2-2.5 meters in height. Its leaves are turned parallel to the falling rays of the sun, so the eucalyptus forest is always light and comfortable for the life of other plants. During droughts characteristic of the local climate, the tree is forced to shed its leaves to save itself.

Eucalyptus rainbow - an unusual creation of Mother Nature

The rainbow eucalyptus stands out against the background of the varieties of its tall fellows - unusually, it is painted in all the colors of the rainbow.

This variegated plant is often mistaken for an abstract creation by an artist. At a young age, the bark of eucalyptus is green; over the years it darkens, becoming saturated with blue, purple, burgundy and orange hues, the alternation of which creates a special festive pattern. The unusual coloring was the reason for growing these trees for decorative purposes, although their natural qualities also deserve special attention. They are not tolerated by pests, these beauties practically do not get sick. You can find amazing plants in the Philippine Islands, Papua New Guinea or Indonesia.

Gidnora - African carnivorous predator

Lithops (“living stones”) are also representatives of the flora of hot Africa and the most amazing plants in the world. Outwardly, they resemble cobblestones with a diameter of about 5 centimeters, which is an unusual way of camouflage in the sultry desert sands.

The plant has two fleshy leaves and a short trunk, which smoothly turns into a root and goes deep underground in search of moisture. In autumn, the silent “stone” picture is enlivened by yellow, white, pink flowers, highlighted by bright tassels.

Bloody tooth

On planet Earth, next to the beautiful representatives of the flora, there are such amazing plants of the world that you should beware of in order to avoid possible negative consequences. For example, the deceptively pretty mushroom is the bloody tooth.

Externally similar to a delicious dessert or strawberry-flavored chewing gum, it is extremely poisonous. Droplets of red liquid on the velvety white surface resemble blood, although in reality the plant itself produces this secretion through its pores. The fungus feeds on soil juices and insects attracted by a cunning bait - that same blood-red liquid. Thanks to the bright veins, the mushroom, whose height is 2-3 centimeters, is clearly visible against the background of foliage and dry needles.

Dancing tree

There are amazing plants in tropical Asia; one of them is Desmodium rotatum (aka “telegraph plant”). Reaching a height of 1.2 meters, with elliptical leaves and small flowers collected in racemes, it can dance. This fascinating action, causing joy and surprise, occurs under the influence of sunlight.

The lateral leaves begin to move along a certain trajectory, with their tips describing a complete ellipse in half a minute. The rotation is jerky and reminiscent of transmitted messages, which is what gave the flower its second name. At night, the plant sleeps, gaining strength for the next charming dance.

Amazing plants - candy trees

Every child's dream is an unlimited number of sweets and delicacies, and even on tree branches! - turns out to be reality. Like other most amazing plants in the world, with fruits of a bizarrely oblong shape that taste like caramels, as if they came from a fairyland. Popularly it is called candy, and among botanists it is called sweet govenia.

Fragrant berries, the taste of which strongly resembles barberries, can be eaten directly from the branches, so it is not surprising that they serve as the basis for jams and preserves, juices and tinctures, compotes and syrups. Wine made from the fruits of the candy tree has healing properties, having a beneficial effect on the body. In Tibet, goveniya was considered a cure for all diseases; this plant has been valued in Babylon and India since ancient times. In Rus', since the 17th century, it was grown specifically in apothecary gardens on the instructions of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Eating fruits helps not only to enjoy a pleasant taste, but also to overcome anemia, prevent blood clots, slow down oxidative processes, restore the elasticity of blood vessels, remove toxins from the body and revive damaged cells. Along with a lot of useful properties, fasting, strewn with bright red “candy”, is incredibly beautiful. In spring, this huge tree is covered with golden inflorescences, spreading an amazing aroma, while autumn allows you to fully enjoy the colorful foliage of the plant. It is not for nothing that it adequately represents the amazing plants of Russia.

The most famous mega-water lily

Victoria Amazonica is the world's largest water lily and the most popular greenhouse crop. Its leaves reach a diameter of 2.5 m and can support a weight of up to 50 kilograms. The outer surface of the plant is green and covered with a waxy coating that repels excess moisture.

The lower part is purplish-red in color and is equipped with a network of spine-studded ribs that protect against herbivorous fish and accumulate air bubbles for retention on the water surface. During the season, the water lily is capable of producing about 50 leaves, which grow and occupy a significant surface of the reservoir. This negatively affects the growth of other representatives of the flora due to the lack of sunlight. Victoria Amazonian flowers are located under water and bloom for 2-3 days once a year. This happens exclusively at night over the water surface; with the onset of dawn, the flowers return to the underwater kingdom. When open, the buds reach a diameter of 20-30 centimeters. On the first day, the petals are white, on the second - pink, on the third, the flowers become dark crimson or purple. The plant, which received its name in honor of Victoria, Queen of England, is common in the Amazon River basin in Brazil and is found in the waters of Guyana, which flow into the Caribbean Sea. In natural conditions, it can live up to 5 years.

Earth is an amazing planet that consists of 70% water. At the same time, the favorable atmosphere gives rise to amazing flora and fauna. The world is home to a colossal number of different trees, flowers and plants. We bring to your attention the most unusual plants in the world. Botany is an amazing science that allows us to witness miracles. Indeed, among the diversity of the plant world there are quite a few of them. Let's get started with the review.

TOP 10 Most Unusual Plants of Our World

The peculiarity of the plant lies in its age. Some species live on the planet for more than 2000 years. In this case, two huge leaves emerge from a short tree trunk. The dwarf reaches a small height, but its fruits are of amazing size. In this case, the age of the leaves practically corresponds to the trunk itself. Leaves grow directly from the base. Only the tips die off. In some cases their length reaches 8 meters.

Another amazing plant that emits an extremely unpleasant odor. Despite its beauty, you can only admire this work of art wearing a gas mask. A unique feature of this plant is the presence of a huge flower, which can be several times larger than the trunk and stem of Amorphophallus. As a rule, the flower reaches a diameter of one and a half meters. Width and height can reach 2.5 meters.

Another amazing flower belonging to the Cactus family. As a rule, a representative of this plant species lives in California. Some individuals can grow in arid deserts. Not at all, the largest Bigelow is located in Joshua Tree Park (California). It reached a height of 2 meters. The plant is covered with many fluffy cacti. At sunrise the scenery is simply amazing.

Rounding out the Top 5 most amazing plants on the planet is another representative of the Cactus family, Carnegia gigantea. The flower reaches a diameter of more than three meters. Moreover, its height can be 14 meters. In some cases, the age of the flowers is 150 years or more. It is quite difficult to describe the appearance of the plant without a photo. The picture shows a small cactus from this genus.

We are talking about a carnivorous plant. A unique flower that can hunt insects. Thus, Nepenthes replenishes the missing supply of nutrients. The leaves of the plant are presented in the form of jugs. The inside of the jugs contains nectar, which attracts insects. After this, the carnivorous flower opens its neck and abruptly catches insects. The enzyme promotes the rapid processing of butterflies and flies.

Dionaea muscipula

Another amazing plant that preys on insects. Locals call this carnivorous creature the “killer plant.” It should be noted that this individual takes more active and drastic actions compared to the above plant. To catch prey, the Venus flytrap uses modified leaves created in the shape of jaws.

Ficus benghalensis

This amazing plant alone can seem like an entire forest. We are talking about a tree that is capable of forming an incredibly large number of branches. As a result, one tree produces a huge number of additional trunks, which over time gain high strength. As a result, column-trunks are formed, which are difficult to destroy even with a sharp saw.

We are talking about the largest tree on our planet. A representative of the tallest plants in the world lives in temperate forests. Comparing our forests with the redwoods, we can say that we have grass, not trees. In some cases, the growth of evergreen sequoia reaches 110 meters. Moreover, they can exist for over 3500 years. In the old days, people lived in houses in these trees. The ancestors managed to hollow out spacious rooms inside the tree, where they spent the night and sheltered from the weather. These trees grow mainly in California.

Nature's imagination is inexhaustible, so our planet is inhabited by a variety of creatures - from funny to terrifying. But there are also unusual representatives of the flora: not only giants, but also real predators.

1. Amorphophallus titanica (corpse lily)

This flower is gigantic in size, it is beautiful, but it emits a terrible stench. True, it spreads the smell of rotten fish and meat around itself for only a couple of days, and then it fades. And this tropical plant blooms very rarely - in the 40 years that the “corpse lily” lives, the flower appears only 3-4 times. The plant can grow up to 3 meters tall, and the weight of the flower can reach 75 kilograms. The “corpse lily” grows in the forests of Sumatra, but it is almost exterminated there, so it is easier to see it in botanical gardens.

2. Venus flytrap

This beautiful, even graceful plant is a real predator: with its leaves of a special design, it cleverly catches small insects. As soon as an unlucky fly touches the fibers on the bed of a leaf with its paw or wing, it slams shut. And while the insect is actively kicking, the plant only increases the secretion of digestive juice. An insect caught as if in the shell of a shell is completely digested within 10 days. Then the leaf opens and lures a new victim with droplets of nectar. People were even able to tame this potted predator by growing it on a windowsill. If you care for it properly, you can observe the hunting process with your own eyes.

3. Passionflower

This tropical liana has a very unusual and beautiful flower. These flowers were first noticed in South Africa by missionaries, who thought they looked like the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ. That's why they gave it the unscientific but very colorful name “passion flower” (an allusion to the passion of Christ). In general, there are over 500 species of these woody climbing vines, called passionflower.

As for such natural wonders as waterfalls, Europe has not been very successful with them, because the most enormous in power are located on other continents...

4. Victoria Amazonian

This is the largest water lily in the world. The diameter of its leaves floating on the surface of the water reaches two meters. Such a sheet can easily hold a child on it. Victoria Amazonian flowers are very beautiful, so this species can often be seen in botanical gardens and greenhouses.

5. Nepentis

This is a very unusual looking carnivorous plant that grows in Southeast Asia. This bushy vine climbs higher into neighboring trees. In addition to ordinary leaves, it also has catchers, which are very reminiscent of an impressive jug up to 0.5 m high. The catcher leaves are brightly colored, attracting insects and small rodents. Fragrant nectar appears on the upper edge of the jug. Attracted by the color and smell, the victim crawls inside the jug and slides down its slippery walls. At the bottom of the jug, a pool of digestive acids and enzymes, reminiscent of gastric juice, awaits her. The inside surface of the leaf has waxy scales that prevent the victim from getting out of the jug. Nepenthis takes several days to digest its prey. One day we managed to find a rat caught in such a jug.

6. Porcupinsky tomato

This unusual plant is famous for its incredibly large thorns. This weed grows in Madagascar, reaching one and a half meters in height, and is decorated with purple flowers. But getting close to these flowers to pick them is very difficult, since the plant bristles with long orange poisonous thorns. In fact, this plant does not belong to the nightshade family, but it was called “tomato” because of the fruits that resemble small tomatoes.

7. “Living stones” (lithops)

Now you can often find these unusual plants, which have begun to be used as indoor flowers. "Living stones" are succulents, and they are known to be very unpretentious. But they decorate the interior well. You just need to know what they need for normal existence, and one fine day the “stone” will bloom. Most often, flowering occurs in the third year of the plant’s life.

For the average person, the difference between “dormant” and “extinct” volcanoes is not obvious. But the differences between them are quite significant,...

8. Velvichia is amazing

Although this dwarf tree does not look very impressive, it is attractive in its strangeness. Velvichia amazing has very strong roots, a stem and only two leaves. These leaves never fall off and are replaced by new ones, they just grow slowly at the beginning and die off at the ends, and this can continue for over 2000 years. Overgrown leaf plates resemble some kind of shaggy beard or mane. The Welwitschia trunk grows mainly in width rather than in height, so with a height of no more than 2 m, it can have a girth of up to 8 m. This unusual long-liver lives in the South African Namib Desert. It can survive without rain for years because it absorbs moisture from the leaves from the fog. This is an edible plant with a pleasant taste, and it can be eaten not only baked, but also raw. It was even nicknamed “desert onion” for its gastronomic properties.

9. Rafflesia Arnolda

This is the most unusual and largest flower in the world. Rafflesia Arnold belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family; it grows up to 90 centimeters in diameter, and the flower can weigh up to 10 kg. Although this giant flower looks unusually impressive, it cannot be placed in a room because it emits a very unpleasant smell of rotting meat, which it needs to attract pollinating insects. It takes several months for the bud to ripen, but flowering occurs in just a couple of days. The plant produces many seeds, which are dispersed by insects such as ants and large mammals such as elephants, which may accidentally step on the flower and carry the seeds on their feet.

10. Chirantodendron (“creepy handshake”)

The flowers of this plant have a very unusual shape, which is why it is called the “devil's hand.” It comes from Mexico, where the Aztec tribes once lived. They used the flowers of this plant, which look like hands, in magical rituals. And their coloring only further excites the imagination - sharp red claws are visible at the ends of the “fingers”. During the flowering period, the chirantodendron is completely covered with “palms” that flutter eerily in the wind.