Creepy, Spooky Plants for your Halloween- Part: 1

Mother Nature knows no bounds and you may be surprised by the weird and wonderful types of plants she has created.

For example, Titan arum or the “Corpse Flower” is the largest flower in the world but smells like rotting meat, hence its name. Or, what about the Death Apple tree found in Florida that has a burning sap.

Read on for Part 1 and stay tuned later in the month for Part 2

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Grandidier’s baobab > Scientific name: Adansonia grandidieri > Main habitat: Madagascar

There are eight species of the baobab tree, and Grandidier’s baobab is the most impressive. The tree, which is found in arid regions on the island of Madagascar, off the eastern coast of Africa, stands 82 feet high, with a trunk that is 10 feet wide. The bark from the tree is highly sought after for its medicinal properties. The tree, named after Alfred Grandidier, a 19th-century French naturalist and explorer, is considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of slash and burn farming and overgrazing.

Black Bat Flower

> Scientific name: Tacca Chantrieri > Main habitat: West Africa and Southeast Asia

This plant grows in west Africa and southeast Asia and produces up to 25 black flowers that are said to look like eerie bat wings. They also have heavy berries and 24-inch long “whiskers” attached to the flowers.

Bee Orchid

> Scientific name: Ophrys apifer

> Main habitat: Europe

This is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Orchidaceae. It serves as an example of sexually deceptive pollination and floral mimicry, as well as of a highly selective and highly evolved plant–pollinator relationship

Belladonna

> Scientific name: Atropa belladonna

> Main habitat: Europe, North Africa, Western Asia

Commonly known as belladonna or deadly nightshade, is a toxic perennial herbaceous plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant (aubergine). Extracts of plants in the deadly nightshade family have been in use since at least the 4th century BC, when Mandragora (mandrake) was recommended by Theophrastus for treatment of wounds, gout, and sleeplessness, and as a love potion.

Bladderwort

> Scientific name: Utricularia

> Main habitat: Anywhere there is water except Antarctica

All Utricularia are carnivorous and capture small organisms by means of bladder-like traps. Terrestrial species tend to have tiny traps that feed on minute prey such as protozoa and rotifers swimming in water-saturated soil. The traps can range in size from 0.02 to 1.2 cm (0.008 to 0.5 in). Aquatic species, such as U. vulgaris (common bladderwort), possess bladders that are usually larger and can feed on more substantial prey such as water fleas

Bleeding Heart

> Scientific name: Lamprocapnos spectabilis

> Main habitat: Siberia, northern China, Korea and Japan

The plant was first introduced to England from Asia in the year 1810 and, unfortunately, was lost, but was subsequently reintroduced in 1846 by the Scottish botanist and plant hunter Robert Fortune,

Cape Sundew > Scientific name: Drosera capensis > Main habitat: South Africa

Native to South Africa, the cape sundew’s coloring and shape are suggestive of a ribbon candy. The plant snares insects in its “arms,” which are leaves saturated with sap. Cape sundew plants are prolific at reproducing and can survive in a variety of temperatures. New Zealand has placed it on a list of invasive plant species

Carrion plant

> Scientific name: Stapelia gigantea

> Main habitat: South Africa

The flowers have the smell of rotting flesh, in order to attract the flies which, pollinate them. The large size and color of the flowers combined with the carrion smell may cause the flies to behave as if it is a dead carcass and be more likely to visit it. Because of the foul odor of its flower, S. gigantea can act as an appetite suppressant in humans.

Chinese Lantern plant

> Scientific name: Physalis alkekengi

> Main habitat: Southern Europe to South Asia and Northeast Asia.

It is easily identifiable by the large, bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resembles paper lanterns. It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 40–60 cm tall, Physalis alkekengi seed fossils are known from Miocene of Siberia, Pliocene of Europe and Pleistocene of Germany.

Cobra Lily > Scientific name: Darlingtonia Californica > Main habitat: Northern California and Oregon

You don’t think of lilies as a menacing-looking flower, but the cobra lily might be the exception. It is a carnivorous plant strongly resembling a cobra snake. It is also called calf’s head, California pitcher plant, or cobra plant. Even the leaves of the plant, which turn red in the sun, suggest a snake’s tongue. The cobra lily lures its prey by emitting a fragrant scent from its trap and captures it in its pitcher.

Corpse Flower > Scientific name: Amorphophallus titanum > Main habitat: Western Sumatra

There’s no false advertising when it comes to the name of this plant. The corpse flower is the biggest flower in the world — and probably the worst-smelling plant on the planet. Its pungent aroma, redolent of rotting flesh, fills the air of tropical forests of Sumatra. Its spadix, a spiky inflorescence of small flowers, warms up when it blooms to lure pollinators.

Dancing plant > Scientific name: Desmodium gyrans > Main habitat: Southeast Asia

The dancing plant, found in Southeast Asia, is also called the telegraph plant or the semaphore plant. The dancing plant appears to react to sunlight and vibration, which helps explain why it seems to respond to music. This plant was a favorite of English naturalist Charles Darwin and is mentioned in his book “The Power of Movement in Plants.”

Death Apple Tree > Scientific name: Hippomane mancinella > Main habitat: Caribbean and Florida

The Spanish name for death apple tree is “árbol de la muerte,” which means “tree of death.” The Guinness Book of World Records calls this nature horror show the most dangerous tree in the world. It is native to the tropical parts of southern North America, as well as Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America. The plant discharges a burning sap that can cause serious injury. Eating its fruit can bring death. Good luck burning down a stand of them — the smoke from the fire could cause blindness

Dead horse arum lily > Scientific name: Helicodiceros muscivorus > Main habitat: Corsica, Mediterranean islands

The dead horse arum lily, found in Corsica and other Mediterranean islands, smells like rotting meat. The plant’s pungent scent is intended to draw in insects who are trapped the first night after the plant flowers. When the insects are released, they are covered in pollen. The plant is thermogenic, meaning it can produce its own heat, which accentuates the rotting meat smell.

Devils Tooth

> Scientific name: Hydnellum Peckii

> Main habitat: North America

As in all mushroom-producing fungi, the fruit bodies are the reproductive structures that are produced from fungal mycelium when the appropriate environmental conditions of temperature, humidity and nutrient availability are met. The flesh that is marked with concentric lines that form alternating pale and darker zones ; an extremely peppery taste; a sweetish odor.

Doll’s eye > Scientific name: Actaea pachypoda > Main habitat: Eastern North America

Doll’s eye, a 2-foot tall plant found in eastern North America, produces white berries that have black “pupils” that give the berries the appearance of a doll’s eyes. The deep pink stems provide a colorful contrast to the berries. Looks, however, can be deceiving. The plant, also called white baneberry, is poisonous, and this includes the leaves, stalk, and the berries. Botanists incorporated the word bane, a term used to refer to killer, into names of plants that are toxic.

Dragon’s blood tree > Scientific name: Dracaena cinnabari > Main habitat: The island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen in the Indian Ocean.

The Dragon’s blood tree, found on the island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, is related to the palm tree. Its leaves can grow up to 2 feet long. The tree with the distinctive umbrella shape derives its name from its dark resin. This resin, called “dragon’s blood,” has been used for medicine and dyes since ancient times. The tree is considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because the island is drying out due to climate change.

Elephant-Foot Yam

> Scientific name: Amorphophallus paeoniifolius

> Main habitat: Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the tropical Pacific islands.

The plant blooms annually around the beginning of the rainy season. The flower bud emerges from the corm as a purple shoot, and later blooms as a purple inflorescence.

The stigmas of the female flowers will be receptive on the first day of the bloom, when the pungent smell draws pollinating insects inside, and the inflorescence closes, trapping them for a night to allow the pollen deposited on the insect to be transferred to the stigmas.

Flying duck orchid > Scientific name: Caleana major > Main habitat: Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales

The flying duck orchid is aptly named, strongly resembling the waterfowl. The 20-inch tall plant’s reddish-brown hue allows it to blend into its native Australian landscape. Gardeners who want to include the distinctive plant in their gardens will be discouraged to know it cannot flourish outside of Australia. The flying duck orchid’s growth depends on a fungus indigenous to Australia.

Flypaper plant > Scientific name: Pinguicula gigantea > Main habitat: Mexico

Flypaper plants, or butterworts, have a green, translucent glow that belies their ferocity. The tropical carnivorous plant snatches anything that lands on its leaves and then starts eating them. Its sticky surface traps such prey as mosquitoes and gnats.

Giant Pelican Flower or Giant Dutchman’s Pipe

> Scientific name: Aristolochia gigantea

> Main habitat: Brazil

it is a vigorous evergreen climber (vine) with heart-shaped leaves and spectacular fragrant flowers. A. gigantea and other tropical Dutchman’s pipe varieties pose a threat to the pipevine swallowtail butterfly. The butterfly confuses A. gigantea with its native host plant and will lay eggs on it although pipevine swallowtail caterpillars cannot survive on the foliage.

Ghost plant

> Scientific name: Monotropa uniflora

> Main habitat: Asia, North America, and northern South America,

Unlike most plants, it is white and does not contain chlorophyll. Instead of generating food using the energy from sunlight, it is parasitic, and more specifically a mycoheterotroph. Its hosts are certain fungi that are mycorrhizal with trees, meaning it ultimately gets its food from photosynthetic trees. Since it is not dependent on sunlight to grow, it can grow in very dark environments as in the understory of dense forest.

Golf ball > Scientific name: Mammillaria herrerae > Main habitat: Mexico

The golf ball plant is found in the mountains of central Mexico, and at first glance, the white-colored cactus plant looks a lot like an actual golf ball, albeit one that landed far from its intended target. The spiny characteristics of the plant help shield it from the sun. The plant sprouts pink flowers and is a favorite among seekers of rare plant specimens. Because of its appeal, and because of encroaching housing development, the golf ball plant is considered critically endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature.

Halfmens

> Scientific name: Pachypodium namaquanum,

> Main habitat: Southern Africa

Also known as Elephant trunk is a succulent single-stemmed plant growing to 4 metres (13 ft) tall. The warty trunk, thickset at the base and tapering to the top, is densely covered in sharp spines. Where damaged, the trunk produces side-branches that immediately curve back to the vertical. The very top of the plant is usually bent to the north,

Hammer orchid > Scientific name: Drakaea glyptodon > Main habitat: Australia

The hammer orchid, also known as the King-in-his-Carriage, is an endangered orchid species that can be found in damp, sandy soil and swampy areas in western Australia. The plant produces pheromones — chemicals that alter the behavior of a creature of the same species — that draw male wasps who may mistake the orchid for a female wasp. The male tries to grasp the plant, which gets covered with pollen. The plant grows a heart-shaped leaf that features a pattern of pale and dark green.

While most of these plants cannot be purchased at a local nursey some can be ordered from specialty companies and others you just cannot get, personally some of them I would not want to, namely the corpus flower with tis awful stink.

Come back and read part 2 for more strange and weird plants.

#creepyplants #halloween #garden #flowers