Most Expensive Flowers
The world of exotic and rare flowers is fascinating, with some blooms commanding incredibly high prices due to their rarity, beauty, and the difficulty involved in cultivating them. Here are some of the most expensive flowers:
- Kadupul Flower (Epiphyllum oxypetalum):
- Price: Priceless.
- Reason: This flower, known as the “Queen of the Night,” blooms only once a year at night and wilts before dawn. Its ephemeral beauty and fleeting existence make it nearly impossible to sell.
- Juliet Rose:
- Price: Around $15.8 million.
- Reason: Created by renowned rose breeder David Austin, this rose took 15 years and $5 million to develop. It was first introduced at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2006 and is celebrated for its large, peach-colored blooms.
- Shenzhen Nongke Orchid:
- Price: Approximately $200,000.
- Reason: This man-made orchid was developed through eight years of research by agricultural scientists in Shenzhen, China. Its rarity and the effort required to cultivate it contribute to its high price.
- Rotchschild’s Orchid (Paphiopedilum rothschildianum):
- Price: Around $5,000 per stem.
- Reason: Also known as the Gold of Kinabalu Orchid, this plant is extremely rare and found only in the rainforests of Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia. It can take many years to bloom and is highly sought after by collectors.
- Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus):
- Price: Varies, but saffron can cost up to $5,000 per pound.
- Reason: While the flower itself is not typically sold, the saffron threads harvested from it are the world’s most expensive spice. Each flower produces only three threads and requires labor-intensive harvesting and processing.
- Gold of Kinabalu Orchid:
- Price: Around $6,000 per plant.
- Reason: Found exclusively in Malaysia, this flower is a type of Paphiopedilum rothschildianum. Its rarity and the fact that it takes many years to bloom make it highly valuable.
- 17th Century Tulip Bulb (Semper Augustus):
- Price: Historically, around 10,000 guilders (roughly the price of a luxurious house at the time).
- Reason: During the Dutch “Tulip Mania” of the 1630s, tulip bulbs became a speculative commodity, with prices reaching astronomical heights. The Semper Augustus was the most famous and expensive variety.
These flowers exemplify the pinnacle of natural beauty and rarity, often making them objects of fascination and desire among horticultural enthusiasts and collectors.