Gardening Plants & Flowers Flowers

22 Unique Flowers to Grow in Your Garden

Echinacea 'Secret Lust,' a type of coneflower

The Spruce / David Beaulieu

While all flowers are beautiful, there are some unique flowers that are truly eye-catching. These blooms are unique, vibrant, and striking, and they also make for a statement as you're planning your garden. Many of these flowers are also rare, only growing in specific regions.

Some unique flowers have stunning bicolored petals, and, in others, the blooms will be oddly shaped or have large blooms. Growing these plants is a wonderful way to add color and texture to your yard and bring visual interest to your garden that you likely won't see in many other places.

Here are 22 of the most unique flowers to grow in the garden.

Warning

Some of the plants on this list are toxic to people and/or pets.. Before planting in your garden, ensure that you and your family will be safe.

  • 01 of 22

    Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

    Bird of paradise flower

    Martin Sandberg / Getty Images

    The flowers of bird of paradise aren’t just beautifully colored; they’re also uniquely shaped. The plant gets its name from its bloom which resembles the bird species of the same name. This tropical plant is indigenous to South Africa, growing in hot, humid jungle climates. Northern gardeners will either have to grow it as an annual or attempt to overwinter it indoors. 

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 12
    • Flower Color Varieties: Orange, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic
    • Mature Size: 3.5-6 ft. tall, 3-4 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 02 of 22

    Middlemist’s Red (Camellia spp.)

    Red Camellia

    Getty Images/Elizabeth Fernandez

    Middlemist’s Red is a rare Camellia flower known for its stunning red-pink rose-like flower and its rich green foliage. It was brought from its native China to Chiswick, West London by John Middlemist. That plant, along with one in New Zealand, are the only ones that exist today.

    • Flower Color Varieties: Dark Pink
    • Light: Partial Shade
  • 03 of 22

    Corpse Flower (Titan arum)

    Corpse flower

    Getty Images/Afriandi

    Corpse flower has a reputation for being one of the stinkiest plants on the planet, with a scent that is similar to rotting flesh. This putrid scent is critical in its ability to attract pollinators It can take up to seven years to bloom and the pod swells over the course of a month before blooming, with the flower weighing up to 50 pounds.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10
    • Flower Color Varieties: Deep red
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Fertilized soil
    • Mature Size: 6 feet tall
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 04 of 22

    Blue Poppy (Meconopsis betonicifolia)

    Blue poppy flower

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    The unique flowers of the blue poppy resemble blue umbrellas with a fuzzy yellow center. These showy blooms can stretch 4 to 5 inches across, and they appear in the summertime. This plant can be somewhat temperamental to grow. Give blue poppies a consistent supply of moisture without letting the soil become soggy. Grow this plant in an area with summer temperatures below 80 degrees and winter temperatures above 50 degrees.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7
    • Flower Color Varieties: Blue
    • Light: Partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to neutral
    • Mature Size: 3–4 ft. tall, 1–2 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 5 of 22 below
  • 05 of 22

    Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)

    Ghost Orchid on green background

    Getty Images/Wirestock

    Ghost orchid is a striking orchid plant that produces dramatic white blooms with a light, apple-like fragrance. This endangered flower is native to Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. It typically grows on trees, with its bare roots taking hold on branches and trunks.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
    • Flower Color Varieties: White
    • Light: Partial
    • Planting: Bare root on cork or wood
    • Mature Size: 5 ft wide, 15 ft tall
  • 06 of 22

    Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperialis)

    crown imperial with its orange flowers

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    Crown imperial is a tall-growing spring bulb plant. The flowers stink, but they are beautifully unique with their clusters of bell-shaped blooms that form a "crown" atop the plant. Cut the foliage to the ground after the plant goes dormant in the summer. Mulch the plant for the winter to insulate it.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, orange, yellow
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Sandy, loamy, well-drained, acidic to alkaline
    • Mature Size: 1–3 ft. tall, 1 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 07 of 22

    Secret Lust Coneflower (Echinacea 'Secret Lust')

    Echinacea 'Secret Lust' in bloom

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    Secret Lust belies its common name of coneflower. Rather than displaying a cone at the flower's center, it sports a puffy center disk. The fragrant colorful flowers stretch roughly 1 to 3 inches across. They’re also good for attracting birds once they go to seed. Make sure to select a spot with good drainage for this plant, as it can tolerate most conditions except for soggy soil.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red-orange
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Sandy, loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to neutral
    • Mature Size: 2–3 ft. tall, 0.5–3 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 08 of 22

    Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea)

    Flower of purple pitcher plant

    Guenter Fischer / Getty Images 

    The purple pitcher plant is quite a unique specimen that’s perfect to grow near a pond. Like the better-known Venus fly trap, it’s actually a carnivorous plant that traps insects in its pitcher-shaped leaves. Its flowers start as a tight ball before unfurling into their interesting shape. Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist for this plant, as its natural environment is boggy soil.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Purple
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist, acidic
    • Mature Size: 8–12 in. tall, 1–2 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 9 of 22 below
  • 09 of 22

    Sundew (Drosera capensis)

    Bug caught in a red sundew plant

    jonathanfilskov-photography / Getty Images

    Sundew is another unique plant that’s carnivorous. Insects are tricked into thinking its faux flowers are real by the namesake dewdrops that glisten on its tiny stalks; they look like drops of nectar to insects. But when the insects land on them, they become trapped in the sticky drops. Like the purple pitcher plant, sundew prefers boggy conditions, so keep the soil consistently moist. 

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: White, pink
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Sandy, moist, acidic
    • Mature Size: Less than 1 ft. tall and wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 10 of 22

    Red Hot Poker Plant (Kniphoff spp.)

    Red hot poker plants blooming against an ocean backdrop

    Andrea Ricordi / Getty Images 

    Red hot poker plants get their name from their cylindrical shape and the warm tones of their tall, narrow flower spikes. Some varieties even have bicolored flowers that look almost like flames. This plant benefits from deadheading the flowers, or removing the spent blooms. This will help to encourage further flowering.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, orange, yellow
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained, neutral
    • Mature Size: 2–4 ft. tall, 1–3 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 11 of 22

    Snake Lily (Amorphophallus Konjac)

    snake lily

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    Snake lily grows from a corm that is actually cooked and used as a food source in some places, namely China and Japan. Each corm sends up one giant leaf and one flower stem per year in the spring. The flower has an unpleasant smell of rot that attracts flies and other pollinators; once pollination has occurred the smell dissipates. Aim to keep the soil moist but not soggy through the growing season, and then back off on watering for winter dormancy. 

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 11
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, purple, brown
    • Light: Partial, shade
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, sandy, moist but well-drained, acidic to alkaline
    • Mature Size: 4 ft. tall and wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 12 of 22

    Amethyst in Snow (Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow')

    Flower of Amethyst in Snow Centaurea.
    David Beaulieu

    Amethyst in Snow provides a plethora of interesting flowers in the spring and summer. The delicate bicolored blooms feature white petals surrounding a purple center. This plant is ideal to use as a ground cover because of its spreading nature. You can divide it every few years to limit its spread and promote fresh, healthy growth.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: White/purple
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained, acidic to alkaline 
    • Mature Size: 1–2 ft. tall, 12–18 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 13 of 22 below
  • 13 of 22

    Batik Iris (Iris germanica 'Batik')

    Batik iris in bloom

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    The Iris genus contains some of the toughest, prettiest, and most fragrant flowers in the plant world. Iris germanica 'Batik' stands out among its gorgeous crowd with bicolored flowers featuring irregular streaks and blotches of purple and white. This plant has a clumping growth habit. Divide clumps every few years to keep them vigorous and blooming profusely.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Purple/white
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, neutral
    • Mature Size: Up to 2 ft. tall and wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 14 of 22

    Perfect Storm Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos)

    The large bloom and dark-colored leaves of Perfect Storm hardy hibiscus

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    Perfect Storm hibiscus is a hybrid hardy hibiscus cultivar that is more compact than its larger cousins. Thus, it’s good for small gardens, and it likely won’t need any staking to keep it upright. Its bicolored, showy blooms appear in the late summer and stretch an impressive 7 to 8 inches across. Even when it’s not in bloom, its dark green foliage in the garden provides ample visual appeal. Fertilize annually in the spring to promote blooming and healthy growth. 

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: White/pink
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic
    • Mature Size: 3 ft. tall, 5 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 15 of 22

    Nora Leigh Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata 'Nora Leigh')

    Nora Leigh phlox plants in bloom

    Nakano Masahiro / Getty Images

    Nora Leigh garden phlox not only has variegated leaves but also bicolored flowers—an unusual combination. Even though both the blooms and foliage are small, their bright colors cause them to pop in the garden. The flowers also have a mild, pleasant fragrance, and they’re good for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden. Plus, thanks to their sturdy stems, they are excellent cut flowers. If you deadhead the spent blooms, this will help to prolong the flowering period.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: White/pink
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, neutral
    • Mature Size: 2 to 4 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 16 of 22

    Rodger's Flower (Rodgersia pinnata)

    Rodger's flower in bloom

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu 

    Rodger’s flower offers irregularly shaped plumes of flowers that can stretch up to 18 inches long. And just as unique as the flower cluster is the foliage. It gives you a perennial with leaves looking ever so much like those on horse chestnut trees (Aesculus). Rodger’s flower is also a big enough plant to make a statement in the landscape. It does have high water needs, so make sure the soil remains consistently moist.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Pink, ivory
    • Light: Partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, clay, moist, acidic
    • Mature Size: 3–4 ft. tall and wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 17 of 22 below
  • 17 of 22

    Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys)

    Jade vine

    Getty Images/Arif Maulana / 500px

    Jade vine is a creeping plant with mesmerizing clusters of greenish-blue, emerald flowers that twist and dangle off a central vine. It can reach up to 50 feet long and grows enthusiastically in the right climate. In its natural habitat, deforestation is its biggest threat.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11
    • Flower Color Varieties:  Greenish-blue
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained, peat-based potting mix
    • Mature Size: Up to 50 ft long
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 18 of 22

    Chocolate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus)

    Chocolate cosmos

    Getty Images/Eva Lechner

    The velvety dark red blooms of Chocolate Cosmos are rich and sumptuous, and, while you may think the name is due to its almost dark chocolate color, it's actually because of its chocolaty-vanilla fragrance. These unique flowers, which are native to Mexico, grow best in full sun.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-11
    • Flower Color Varieties: Dark red
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained
    • Mature Size: 30 in. tall
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 19 of 22

    Parrot’s Beak (Lotus berthelotii)

    Parrot's Beak

    Getty Images/Connie Pinson

    The contrast in color from the Parrot's Beak is striking, with crimson red, warm blooms that resemble the beak of a tropical bird emerging from cool-toned, silvery-green spiky leaves. This perennial climber blooms during the cooler spring and early summer months before ending its show as the temperatures climb.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-12
    • Flower Color Varieties: Crimson red, orange
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Loam, sand, well-drained
    • Mature Size: 8 in to 1 ft
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 20 of 22

    Black Bat Flower (Tacca chantrieri)

    Black bat flower

    Getty Images/Francisco Herrera

    When you catch a glimpse of the black bat flower, you see that its name fits. The bloom looks like bat wings, while the seed pods resemble a bat face. This unusual plant is native to Asia and Australia, where it grows in the understory. If grown in the right environment, it will bloom from late spring through early fall.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b to 11
    • Flower Color Varieties: Dark purple, black
    • Light: Partial sun to dappled shade
    • Soil Needs: Fertile, well-drained
    • Mature Size: 3 ft tall, 1 ft wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 21 of 22 below
  • 21 of 22

    Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)

    Queen of the Night Flower

    Getty Images/Milton Wheeler / 500px

    The brilliant white, fragrant blooms of the Queen of the Night flower look like something out of a painting. Native to Central and South America, this flower is actually a member of the cactus family. Its blooms put on a show only at night, creating a striking contrast against the darkness.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11
    • Flower Color Varieties: White
    • Light: Partial
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained
    • Mature Size: 2 ft to 10 ft tall
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 22 of 22

    Corpse Lily (Rafflesia arnoldii)

    Corpse lily

    Getty Images/Gerald Graves

    Not to be confused with the Corpse Flower, the Corpse Lily proves that there's room for more than one flower that smells like decaying flesh in order to attract pollinators. This dramatic and giant flower resides in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo, and its massive cluster of flowers is the largest ever recorded.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 13
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, orange
    • Light: Partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist
    • Mature Size: 3 ft diameter
    • Deer Resistant: Yes

Growing Unique Flowers in Your Garden

If you want your unique flowers to be a focal point in your garden, make sure to take into account their mature size, as well as the mature size of nearby plants. That way, the other plants won’t impede your view of your special plants.

Many of these unique flowers are rare, and their growing requirements may be incredibly specific. Before you decide to invest in a rare plant, make sure that the flowers are suitable for your growing region. Also, check whether the species is invasive to the area, particularly as you're looking at climbing and vine plants.

FAQ
  • What is the rarest flower?

    Middlemist’s Red is the rarest flower in the world, with only two plants left in the world—one in the UK and one in New Zealand. It is a stunning camellia, and was originally brought to London by John Middlemist.

  • What is the most gifted flower?

    The rose is the most gifted flower. While all of these unique flowers are gorgeous, the most gifted flower is one that is more readily available.

  • What flower blooms every 100 years?

    Agave americana, or American aloe, is often called the century plant because it blooms once every 100 years. This sun-loving plant grows up to 6 ft tall, and it's only for the most patient of gardeners.

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  1. Poisonous and Non-poisonous PlantsPoison Control.

  2. Poisonous PlantsASPCA.