Here’s a list of 10 of the rarest plants in the world — some are so rare they’re on the brink of extinction:
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1. Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Location: Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas
Why it’s rare: This orchid lacks leaves and relies entirely on photosynthesis through its roots, blending seamlessly into trees. It blooms only a few weeks a year and requires specific swampy, humid conditions to survive.
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2. Rafflesia arnoldii (Corpse Flower)
Location: Rainforests of Indonesia
Why it’s rare: Known for having the largest flower in the world, it smells like rotting flesh to attract flies for pollination. It’s rare due to habitat loss and its complex life cycle, which relies on a specific vine for survival.
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3. Middlemist Red (Middlemist camellia)
Location: Originally from China — now only in the UK and New Zealand
Why it’s rare: Only two known plants exist today. It was brought to Britain in the early 1800s, but it was wiped out in the wild in China.
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4. Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum)
Location: Sumatra, Indonesia
Why it’s rare: It takes 7-10 years to bloom, and the flower lasts only 24-48 hours. Like the Rafflesia, it emits a powerful stench of rotting meat to attract pollinators.
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5. Jellyfish Tree (Medusagyne oppositifolia)
Location: Seychelles
Why it’s rare: Once thought extinct, fewer than 30 trees are known to exist today. It gets its name from the fruit, which resembles a jellyfish.
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6. Franklin Tree (Franklinia alatamaha)
Location: Georgia, USA
Why it’s rare: Last seen in the wild in the early 1800s, it's now found only in cultivated gardens. It has beautiful, fragrant white flowers and vibrant red autumn leaves.
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7. Gibraltar Campion (Silene tomentosa)
Location: Gibraltar
Why it’s rare: It was thought extinct until a single surviving specimen was rediscovered in 1994 on a rocky cliff. Now, it’s cultivated in botanical gardens to prevent extinction.
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8. Parrot’s Beak (Lotus berthelotii)
Location: Canary Islands
Why it’s rare: Once pollinated by sunbirds — which are now extinct in the region — this plant struggles to reproduce naturally. It's critically endangered in the wild.
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9. Encephalartos Woodii (Wood’s Cycad)
Location: South Africa
Why it’s rare: Known as the loneliest plant in the world, only one male specimen was ever found in the wild. All existing plants are clones of that single tree, meaning it can’t reproduce naturally.
Why it’s rare: Named after Sir David Attenborough, this giant carnivorous plant is large enough to trap and digest small animals like rodents. It was discovered only in 2007 and grows in remote, harsh mountain environments, making it incredibly rare.
10 Rarest Plants In The World...