Ah, nature. It’s both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. I’m not just talking about animals; even plants have the potential to be mindbogglingly weird. In fact, some of the plants I’ve found out about wouldn’t look out of place in a sci-fi film! Here are just a few of these extraterrestrial plants.
Corpse Flower
That’s a pleasant name, don’t you think? This plant gets its name from its unique smell, which has been compared to that of a rotting corpse. Lovely! It may look like one very big flower, but it’s actually a combination of many flowers. I guess that explains its size – it can grow to be up to 200 pounds.
Elephant-Foot Yam
I’m not sure what this looks like, but it doesn’t look like an elephant’s foot. Unsurprisingly, it’s related to our friend the corpse flower, and even has a similar scent. Despite its ugliness and foul smell, it’s considered a delicacy in some places. Gross.
Tropical Pitcher Plants
You might have heard of these plants – they’re known for digesting their prey. Luckily they don’t grow that big, so it’s mainly rodents and bugs that should be worried about falling into them. On some occasions, monkeys have been found drinking from these tropical pitchers. Can’t they find something better to snack on?
Bear’s-Head Tooth Mushroom
Yes, what you’re looking at right now is a mushroom. It’s also edible, and can even treat cancer. Can you imagine eating the whole thing? That would make for quite a hearty (but healthy) meal.
Dragon’s-Blood Tree
Both its name and its looks makes me think that this tree would fit in very well a fantasy movie. The Dragon’s-Blood Tree got its unique name from its red sap, which people compared to dragon’s blood. It also has astringent, stimulant, and anti-gas properties. Other common uses include toothpaste, dye, lipstick, and glue. It has an intimidating name, but this tree is quite useful.
Rafflesia
This is yet another plant that smells like a corpse – isn’t it surprising how many of those there are? What’s interesting about the Rafflesia is that it’s the biggest single flower known to humankind, growing up to 39 inches in diameter and weighing up to 22 pounds. Something else interesting is that it has no stem, leaves, or roots; therefore, we aren’t even sure if it’s technically a flower. It certainly looks like one, though… Sort of.
Sources: Owlcation and Wikipedia pages for Corpse flower, Elephant foot yam, Tropical pitcher plants, Bear’s-head tooth mushrooms, Dragon’s blood tree, and Rafflesia
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