Among 300 thousand species of plants on our planet, not all species are popular among home gardeners. There are many incredibly beautiful, but whimsical flowering crops that are not only difficult to grow in the garden or on the windowsill, but even purchased in a distribution network. Therefore, many are simply unfamiliar to them.
Psychotria sublime
The plant lives in the Central American tropical jungle and is gradually dying out. This culture of extraordinary beauty is known under many names, but all of them are connected with the fact that its flower shape resembles colorful human lips.
With such beautiful petals, psychotria attracts tropical birds and butterflies pollinating it. In addition, pollen contains a hallucinogenic substance. In recent years, this plant has gained some popularity in many countries of the world among lovers of home decorative floriculture.
In the wild, psychotria reaches a height of 2-3 meters, and at home in a pot it grows no more than 60-70 cm. The leaves of the psychotria are smooth with embossed veins, and the bracts during the ripening period take the form of red or orange-red human lips. Then they are replaced by small white flowers.
After flowering, no less picturesque berries of small size and bluish-violet or blue appear in the sublime psychotria. 5-10 fruits appear from each flower.
Plant care is quite complicated. It develops well in conditions close to tropical - at high temperature and high humidity. But replanting with well-selected soil (a mixture of peat, humus, garden soil and sand) is not worth the plant - psychotria can live in one spacious pot all its life.
Orchis Monkey
This flower grows in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in the mountains of Turkmenistan. In the wild, its flowering occurs in April-May. Orchis flowers are light pink with two long curved purple lobes resembling the legs of a small monkey, which gave the name to the plant.
Orchis can be used in folk medicine as a remedy for poisoning. In addition, he is a spectacular decoration of the garden. The height of the plant reaches 45 cm. From the stem, from 3 to 5 elongated leafy plates of dark green color 10-15 cm long are formed.
Orchis monkeys - a rare plant. Because it is very appreciated by gardeners and healers, in nature there are very few copies - the plant is listed in the Red Book and is under protection.
Amorphophallus titanic
This plant is very unusual and unique. It grows in the tropical forests of South Africa, Vietnam, India and Madagascar. The plant has large tubers, very long leaves (up to three meters) and a unique inflorescence in the form of an ears.
Flowering in amorphophallus occurs irregularly. Sometimes it takes up to six years to form an inflorescence, but sometimes it blooms almost every year. And for the first time after planting, the flower blooms in 10 years. At the base of the cob, colorful berries form.
A flower has several names. Some African tribes endow him with magical abilities and call him “Voodoo lily” or “devilish language”, and because of the unpleasant smell, home growers gave him the popular name - “cadaverous aroma”.
Growing this plant yourself is very difficult. Often a flower goes on sale during the dormant period (it occurs after flowering has ended and lasts 3-4 weeks) and after a while at home, its leaves turn yellow and fall off, which is why lovers of indoor plants believe that the flower has died and buy another .
And during this period, the plant is not recommended to be left in the ground. Tubers are pulled out, inspected, the processes are separated and, if necessary, damaged. Slices are treated with charcoal and dried. The remaining time (about a month) is stored in a cool (at an air temperature of 10-13 ° C) and dry place, and then planted in soil consisting of a mixture of peat, humus, sod land and sand.
Tucka
This is one of the most unusual exotic plants, having unique flowers and strange inimitable beauty. Originally a plant from Southeast Asia, India and the tropics of South America.
Although the flower resembles an orchid in appearance, it has nothing to do with this culture. In height, taka reaches 100 cm, but some species grow up to 3 m.
In Europe, these plants are rare, so they are sometimes grown in conservatories and greenhouses, but not so much for the sake of beauty, but because of the extraordinary appearance. Taka is too capricious and thermophilic plant for maintenance in a city apartment.
Monkey orchid
This orchid is perhaps the most original and unusual of all its species. Her flowers are incredibly similar to the monkey's face. A quick glance at the photo of these flowers, most people believe that the photos are processed in Photoshop.
As a rule, these are low plants with one flower on the stem. Flowers of different varieties differ in shape and color, but the common thing for them is that the three petals are combined so that they form a bowl.
In order for this orchid to take root well, the conditions of its maintenance should be as close as possible to natural, and since it is difficult to create them in the apartment, this species is practically not grown at home, and more often - in greenhouses and greenhouses.
Banksy
Plants of this genus may differ in appearance - these may be low-growing shrubs or trees up to 30 meters high. And there are even species in which the lower branches are hidden under a layer of soil.
Bansky grows in a tropical climate - loves sunlight and warmth. Most Banksia species bloom in spring, but there are varieties that bloom year-round. The flower is usually paired, resembling an ear with many hairs and bracts.
After flowering, the Banksia form fruits. The plant is often grown for decorative purposes because of their unusual appearance and beautiful flowering. These unique flowers can be seen in gardens and greenhouses, and sometimes in flower shops dwarf varieties are sold that are bred specifically for keeping at home.
