{"id":3711,"date":"2023-10-19T10:25:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T10:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blossominggifts.com\/blog\/?p=3711"},"modified":"2023-10-23T10:32:52","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T10:32:52","slug":"scariest-flowers-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blossominggifts.com\/blog\/scariest-flowers-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Of The Scariest Flowers in the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Flowers may be mostly bright and beautiful<\/a>, but our planet is also home to some blood-curdling blooms you never knew existed…until now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

From the Indonesian lily that smells like rotting flesh to the forest fungus that looks like it\u2019s bleeding, there are some seriously spooky species lurking in the undergrowth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Halloween is just around the corner, ready to jump out and scare us, so what better time to hunt out Earth\u2019s most devilish natural wonders?
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Shop All Flowers<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Doll\u2019s Eyes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Actaea Pachypoda<\/em><\/strong>
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These spooky berries resemble googly eyeballs on bloodied stems. Gross, huh? Found in the hardwood forests of North America, they are extremely poisonous to humans, causing cardiac arrest and often death if eaten. Don\u2019t say we didn\u2019t warn you\u2026
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Photo by Ryan Hodnett<\/a>, White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) – Guelph, Ontario 01<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ghost Plant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Monotropa uniflora<\/em><\/strong>
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Named after its pallid appearance, this scary flower resides in the dank, dark corners of temperate regions around the world. It doesn\u2019t contain chlorophyll, instead acting as a parasite and stealing food from nearby fungi, who in turn latch onto trees.
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Photo by Will Brown<\/a>, Monotropa uniflora (10180105674)<\/a>, CC BY 2.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bleeding Tooth Fungus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hydnellum Peckii<\/em><\/strong>
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Mushrooms are never pretty, but this is arguably the rankest fungus on the planet. Found mostly in the forested regions of North America and Europe, its pale pink flesh \u2018bleeds\u2019 red secretions and its base is studded with spiky spines. Despite its horror movie looks, it\u2019s not toxic. In fact, it also goes by the name of Strawberries and Cream, but it has a disappointingly bitter taste. 
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Image by Bernypisa<\/a>, Hydnellum peckii2<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a> \/ Cropped <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Venus Flytrap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dionaea Muscipula<\/em><\/strong>
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You might have spotted this carnivorous flower in garden centres, such is its appealing novelty factor. It likes to feast on flies, but won\u2019t turn down a tasty meal of ants, spiders, beetles and grasshoppers. It catches its prey in touch-sensitive traps that snap shut faster than you can blink (a tenth of a second, to be exact). Frightening, but fun.
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Brain Mushroom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gyromitra esculenta<\/em><\/strong>
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Otherwise known as Elephant Ears, this brain-like fungus is most commonly found in Poland and Germany. The older it gets, the more wrinkly it becomes \u2013 just like us! It\u2019s another enemy of our digestive system, causing a host of nasty neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms, from dizziness to diarrhea.
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Image by Lukas<\/a>, Gyromitra esculenta (40695510365)<\/a>, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dracula\u2019s Flower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dracunculus vulgaris<\/em><\/strong>
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Native to Mediterranean countries, this spooky flower is also known as the Black Dragon or Stink Lily. In a bid to attract flies for pollination, it releases a ghastly aroma that smells like rotting meat. Its central black spike, or \u2018spadix\u2019, is draped in purple petals resembling Dracula\u2019s cape. It also hates sunlight, just like its namesake.
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Image by brewbooks<\/a>, Dracunculus vulgaris in our garden<\/a>, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Castor Oil Plant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ricinus communis<\/em><\/strong>
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We know what you\u2019re thinking. \u201cBut castor oil is used to heal wounds, right?\u201d. Right, but the Guinness Book of World Records lists it as the most poisonous plant on the planet. Just one milligram of its poison, ricin, can kill an adult. Ricin lurks in its seeds, and at lower concentrations in its shiny burgundy leaves. Its jazzy magenta flowers may look like pom-poms, but they are also toxic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image by Dinkum<\/a>, Ricinus communis cultivar<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Monkey Cups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nepenthes truncata<\/em><\/strong>
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This rare plant from the Philippines is an even scarier version of its cousin, the Venus Flytrap. Not only does it chow down on insects, but also rats, frogs and lizards. It entices its food with a sugary nectar that monkeys supposedly like to slurp (don\u2019t panic, our primate pals are too big to be captured). The animal then drowns, before dissolving in digestive enzymes. Bleurgh.
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Image by MargaretRDonald<\/a>, Nepenthes truncata IMG 20190502 122530<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a> \/ Cropped <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corpse Plant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Amorphophallus titanum<\/em><\/strong>
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Thankfully, given it smells of decaying flesh, this infamous plant only blooms in the dead of night. It lures pollinating bugs that feed on corpses, before shrivelling up a few days later. It\u2019s one of the world\u2019s biggest flowers, growing up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. Though often found in botanical gardens, it is native to Indonesia (as is the equally rancid Corpse Lily, below).
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Photo by Richard J. Rehman<\/a>, Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum)<\/a> CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Black Bat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tacca chantrieri <\/em><\/strong>
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With its fang-like stamens and black, bat-shaped leaves, this eerie plant has a unique gothic beauty that would leave any Halloween bride in raptures. It\u2019s part of the yam family (no, we don\u2019t see the resemblance either) and, once again, it\u2019s native to the tropical regions of southeast Asia. 
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Photo by Halley Pacheco de Oliveira<\/a>, JBRJ Tacca<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cobra Lily<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Darlingtonia californica<\/em><\/strong>
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Got a phobia of snakes? You might want to look away, because this lily looks just like a killer cobra with its hooded leaves and forked \u2018tongues\u2019. Native to the redwood forests of northern California, it\u2019s another carnivorous species that uses deep pitchers to trap and gobble up bugs.  
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Photo by NoahElhardt<\/a>, Darlingtonia californica ne1<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a> \/ Cropped <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Octopus Stinkhorn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clathrus archeri<\/em><\/strong>
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Like a predatory creature from the deep, this plant\u2019s \u2018tentacles\u2019 emerge from a gloopy egg. It looks like an octopus and is covered in ghastly-smelling brown goo, hence its unappealing name. Though native to Oceania, it has been found in southeast England, including in Cornwall, Kent and Surrey! Look for it near old tree stumps or piles of fallen leaves, if you dare.
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Photo by Lukas<\/a>, Clathrus archeri (28022922775)<\/a>, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Devil\u2019s Hand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chiranthodendron pentadactylon <\/em><\/strong>
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This bright red Mexican flower is shaped just like Satan\u2019s hand, complete with five witchy talons extending like a claw. It\u2019s sadly now endangered \u2013 a fact much scarier than its appearance.
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Photo by Stan Shebs<\/a>, Chiranthodendron pentadactylon 3<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a> \/ Cropped <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corpse Lily<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rafflesia Arnoldii<\/strong><\/em>
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This flower is the biggest single bloom in the world, with a diameter of a metre! It grows on the floors of Indonesian rainforests and smells as heinous as it looks, predictably like a dead body (hey, those corpse-eating bugs like it, OK?). Thankfully, it only lives for 36 hours. 
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Photo by Rendra Regen Rais<\/a>, Rafflesia arnoldi 2013-12-31 21-48<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a> \/ Cropped <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Snapdragon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Antirrhinum<\/em><\/strong>
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On the face of it, these widely cultivated garden favourites are pretty, not scary. But once their vibrant, dragon-faced flowers fade, the residual seed pods bear an uncanny resemblance to miniature human skulls…argh!  
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Photo by Gmihail<\/a> at Serbian Wikipedia<\/a>., Antirrhinum majus capsule<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0 RS<\/a> \/ Cropped
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If you\u2019re hosting a Halloween party and want to wow (read: terrify) your guests with scary flowers, look to our spooktastic <\/em>black roses<\/em><\/a>. They\u2019re dyed a very deep purple and available in bunches of six, 12 or 24 stems. They\u2019re safe for pets<\/a>, too, so your black cat can safely play his all-important role in proceedings. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or, for a more pumpkin inspired Halloween look, take a look at our autumn flowers, full of gorgeous autumnal oranges, yellows, and reds. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop Autumn Flowers<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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