Orchid is one of the unique but rare plants. Many fans of this flower gather gorgeous collections, find and grow representatives of the Orchid family of unusual shapes and colors.
There is even a kind of rating, in which the rarest orchids are collected. Orchid lovers dream of possessing them.
Top 10 Rare Orchids of the Planet
In the Orchid family there are more than 25,000 recognized species, united in 880 genera. All representatives have a unique color and shape of petals, fragrance, striking diversity and whimsy. Many grow in the wild. Some blossom petals only for a couple of hours.
Most flower lovers can admire them only in photos. Species presented in this article, connoisseurs refer to the rarest on the globe.
Ghost orchid
Ghost orchid is native to the UK. It is one of the rarest orchids in the world. You can see it only in a few corners of the planet – in Cuba and the Bahamas, in several states of the United States. This flower was discovered about 100 years ago.
It is believed that during this time it was possible to find a dozen copies in nature. “Mysterious” and slightly frightening name of the species received because of the creamy-white color of the petals, the silhouettes of which are clearly visible at night or in shady forests and resemble the outlines of a ghost.
Lady slippers
The name Lady slippers was derived from the similarity of the flower’s shape to a woman’s slipper. Its petals and sepals are colored in bright yellow and purple shades. Such a color combination in nature – a great rarity.
The plant is found on the territory of Europe, mainly in the UK. But its popularity among collectors has spread all over the world.
Gochstetter orchid
The Gochstetter orchid, or Platanthera azorica, is the rarest species in Europe. It was discovered and described in 1838. Since then, the plant has not been observed, so there is very little information about it. Its habitat is believed to be limited to the volcanic ridges of the Azores.
Gochstetter’s Butterfly is characterized by its large size. And its flowers look graceful and simple. Buds of white color open on green pedicels and their outlines resemble butterflies.
Coleman’s Orchid Coralroot
In the scientific world, the flower is called Hexalectris colemanii and they are trying to solve its amazing mystery. Specialists can not establish how the Coleman’s orchid is pollinated. And because only a few hundred representatives of the species are found in their natural habitat, this only adds to the mystery.
Another unique feature of the plant with stunning purple coloring of the petals is the complete absence of chlorophyll. The stems of the orchid are brownish. And the nutrition due to the impossibility of normal photosynthesis comes only from the soil.
Rothschild’s slipper
Or Sumazau Orchid – a species known to every collector, as it is the most expensive in the world. The price reaches $3000.
The high cost is explained by the fact that the first flowering does not come until the plant reaches the age of 15 years.
The natural habitat of the Rothschild’s Slipper is limited to the territory of Kalimantan.
Dragon’s mouth
The Dragon’s mouth is the only species of arethusa discovered by botanists. The unusual name is associated with the peculiarities of its coloring. The petals have crimson or deep purple shades, and their edges are decorated with a spectacular yellowish or white border. This evokes associations with the mouth of a fire-breathing dragon.
The plant blooms for a short time, with only one bud blooming on its pedicels. Arethusa prefers moist soils, swampy areas and is found in some North American states.
Sky blue sun orchid
Sky blue sun orchid is a mesmerizingly beautiful flower with delicate blue petals. A yellowish pattern can be seen on them, which evokes associations with the sun’s disk. The plant is terrestrial, with several oval tubers and a poorly developed root system.
Flowering in nature is observed only on the territory of Australia and with sufficient sunlight and heat. In addition to its unusual color, this rare terrestrial orchid has several features. The shape of its flowers is similar to lilies. This allows the plant to attract insects. It also opens its petals exclusively during the day, in clear weather.
During the night hours or when the temperature is cool and the sky is cloudy or cloudy, the flowers are closed.
Hawaiian swamp orchid
Hawaiian swamp orchid is the rarest of the three endemic species native to Hawaii. It has tall pedicels dotted with small yellow-green flowers of a cool shade. It prefers swampy soils and lava soils.
The species is on the verge of extinction due to human encroachment into its natural growing environment. Scientists have not fully studied the life expectancy and method of reproduction of the flower.
It is known that it needs a special mycorrhizal fungus, without symbiosis with which the plant dies.
Bull orchid
Bull orchid – a flower with such an atypical name was first discovered in the Philippines, in a difficult terrain – mangrove swamps. It was named in honor of the animal because of the shape of the petals, twisted upward and resembling horns. The plant is found in Indonesia, in the province of Maluku.
Scientists refer it to dendrobiums, but note a number of features. It is one of the largest orchids, resembling a reed because of its tall stiff stems and leathery dark green leaves.
Buds reach 6 cm in length, colored in purple or pink shades. And one peduncle can bear up to 30 flowers at a time.
Three Birds
The orchid called Three Birds is a very rare and hardly the most precious orchid. Three small buds of delicate purple, bluish or white shades bloom on its peduncle. Their size is about 2 centimeters.
The species is rare, grows in North America and only on the east coast. But even on the territory of the pronghorn it is very difficult to detect it. And it is almost impossible to see Three birds in nature blooming, because its petals open only for a few hours.
Every orchid grower would dream of adding the rarest and most expensive specimens to his collection, so extraordinary and beautiful are they. But if you do not have such an opportunity, you can decorate your home with exotic orchid hybrids, such as phalaenopsis orchids, arrangements of which you can find and order in our catalog. They are not inferior in beauty to their expensive counterparts.