Sometimes nature produces such miracles that can be spellbinding for humans. It may have taken millions of years for the evolution to play its part in developing an enormous number of plant varieties. So far 300 to 315 thousand plant species have been known and still there are many species that are believed to be extinct.
Here we are going to view some of the plants that you may have never seen or heard about them before. These plants are weird yet beautiful in an interesting way.
Monkey Orchid
Monkey Orchid gets its common name from its lobed lip which mimics the general shape of a monkey’s body
So you think only humans and animals have facial features? Think again because we are about to introduce you to “Monkey orchids”. Coming from the forest areas of south-east Ecuador and Peru with high elevations, these orchids were never seen or known to humans a few years back.
Though it took a lot of time to discover them but one thing is for sure, it wouldn’t have taken much time to suggest its name. A botanist named Luer gave scientific name to it Dracula simia in the year 1978. Why was it named so? If you will look closely you can notice how much it resembles the face of a monkey. The term Dracula refers to the long spurs of its sepals that look like Dracula fangs.
The colors of this plant ranges from grayish pink to red. Some claim that it has a pungent smell similar to feces while for others the fragrance is like that of a ripe orange. There are over 120 species of this plant mostly found in Ecuador. Other region where it is found includes Europe, Russia, Iran, Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. It gives flowers all year round that are 5cm in size. These orchids can only grow in captivity if suitably cold temperature is maintained and partial shade is provided, but still it requires a lot of care and tremendous amount of patience.
Rainbow Eucalyptus
Image of Rainbow Eucalyptus, Mindanao gum or Rainbow gum
Image of Rainbow Eucalyptus, Mindanao gum or Rainbow gum
Rainbow Eucalyptus also scientifically termed as Eucalyptus deglupta is yet another colorful miracle of the nature. It might take time for you to believe that the colors of this tree are natural and not a work of some painter. It is also known by the names Mindanao gum and Rainbow gum and is naturally found in Northern Hemisphere specifically in New Britain, Ceram, Mindanao, New Guinea and Sulawesi.
How does it get its colors? It is famous for shedding its patches of outer bark annually. The inner new bark is green in color and as soon as it matures it turns blue, then purple, then orange and finally changes to maroon. The tree is evergreen and huge and reaches a height of 75 meters usually.
What is it used for? Well it’s a shame that this amazing tree is being used by paper manufactures, to make white paper. Philippines is the major producer of its pulpwood. The tree is also being used for ornamental purposes.
Osiria Rose
Osiria Rose
Flowers bless our eyes with their natural beauty and their sweet smell attracts everyone; but when we talk about roses they not just symbolize beauty but these flowers are also blessed with enchanting fragrances. Osiria Rose is one such kind of magnificent rose that can astonish you.
The beautifully shaded petals of this flower give an impression that they have been dyed artificially (though that’s not the case). Its petals are deep red from the inside and from outside they are silver- white in color, giving the flower a two tone color scheme. If you ever get to touch the inner red portion of the petals it will give a soft feeling like that of velvet and the white portion gives the feeling of satin.
The botanical name of this velvety rose is Rosa Osiria and the other name by which it is known is KORsir and Red blend Hybrid tea. It belongs to the class Hybrid tea. It was bred by Reimer Kordes in 1978 for the first time in Germany and was later introduced in France by Willemse France who named it “Osiria”. The Osiria plant is straight and tall and bears flowers in June till November. These plants reach to a height of 4-6 feet and are deciduous in nature i.e. they shed the petals of their flowers seasonally, when they fully bloom and takes around 2 to 5 years to spread.
How you can grow one? These plants can be easily propagated from softwood cuttings, semi-hardwood cuttings and by grafting. It should be planted in full sun and in well- drained soil. Dig a big hole and fill it up with good quality soil, spread the roots evenly and plant it in an appropriate depth. It is suggested that the base of the stem should be 5cm under the ground. Fill the hole with soil and press it with your feet. Water it well every day to get fully bloomed flowers. Also if you are interested in buying one you can get it for U.S. $18.95.
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