These 20 Plants Will Scare The Heck Out Of You. #13? Nope, Nope, Nope.

[Catty1]

Nature is amazing. Just a a quick walk outside is enough to convince most people of the beauty of creation. Occasionally though, Mother Nature likes to throw a curve ball. A freaky curve ball that boggles the mind.
These 20 plants are unbelievably strange. If you ever saw one of these out in the wild, at the very least you'd do a double take. I know if I saw any of these plants on a hike, I'd promptly run away screaming about how the aliens are invading.

1.) The Dracula Orchid. Wow no thanks. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/965/desktop-1407357565.png Orchi (http://www.earthrangers.com/content/wildwire/dracula_sergioi_orchi.jpg)



2.) Grinning Monkey Orchids. This just seems too suspicious not to be an alien trap. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/957/desktop-1407357554.png Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/423268064949814140/)



3.) Octopus Stinkhorn. Oh man. Gross! http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/975/desktop-1407357574.png Blastr (http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/images/assets_c/2011/08/3-octopus-stinkhorn-thumb-330x245-69106.jpg)






4.) Red Cage Fungus. What the...?! http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/971/desktop-1407357570.png Momtastic (http://webecoist.momtastic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mushrooms_9b.jpg)



5.) Lithops. I don't want to step on these. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/974/desktop-1407357573.png Blastr (http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/images/assets_c/2011/08/7-blue-lithops-thumb-330x325-69119.jpg)



6.) Strangler Fig. If you walk quietly it won't attack you. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/972/desktop-1407357572.png Blastr (http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/images/assets_c/2011/08/11-strangler-fig-thumb-330x488-69131.jpg)



7.) Bleeding Tooth Fungus. All the fun of the dentist, none of the fuss. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/963/desktop-1407357563.png Imgur (http://imgur.com/gallery/QOgPfjV)






8.) Welwitschia mirabilis AKA the world's most resilient plant. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/969/desktop-1407357568.png

[Catty1]

9.) Rafflesia arnoldii AKA the world's largest flower. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/968/desktop-1407357568.png Blogspot (http://seetalkit.blogspot.com/2007/10/rafflesia-arnoldii.html)



10.) Hydnora Africana. So freaky. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/976/desktop-1407357575.png Blastr (http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/images/assets_c/2011/08/1-Hydnora-africana-thumb-330x247-69100.jpg)



11.) Crested Madagascan palm. Not a plant you want to bump into. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/961/desktop-1407357559.png Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/423268064950732180/)



12.) Dutchman’s Pipe. They look fuzzy, but I wouldn't trust them. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/958/desktop-1407357555.png Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/423268064950399489/)

[Catty1]

13.) Black bat flower. Nope. Just nope. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/964/desktop-1407357563.png Imgur (http://imgur.com/gallery/FrHP9)



14.) Doll's Eye. Alright now that's just downright scary. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/973/desktop-1407357572.png Blastr (http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/images/assets_c/2011/08/10-more-dollseye-thumb-330x510-69128.jpg)






15.) Burdett’s Banksia. Haunting. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/962/desktop-1407357561.png Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/423268064950928099/)



16.) Chinese Lantern. I'm getting chills just looking at this one. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/966/desktop-1407357565.png Rasbak (http://www.earthrangers.com/content/wildwire/physalis_alkekengi_chinese_lantern_rasbak.jpg)



17.) Spider-orchid. Now they're bringing spiders into this?! http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/960/desktop-1407357558.png Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/423268064950732126/)






18.) Coral Fungi. Looks like plastic. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/970/desktop-1407357570.png Momtastic (http://webecoist.momtastic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mushrooms_7b.jpg)



19.) Amorphophallus titanum AKA the corpse flower. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/967/desktop-1407357566.png Oddee (http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles2/a96804_a503_corpse-flower.jpg)



20.) Laughing face orchid. Whew alright this one actually looks cute. http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/959/desktop-1407357557.png Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/423268064950732105/)



(H/T: Blastr (http://www.blastr.com/2011/08/12_bizarre_real_life_plan.php) )
Well, that settles it. I'm never going outside again. Nature, you win this round. I'll just stay inside thank you very much.

[Vette]

So both of the biggest flowers in the world smell like something dead?
seeing the Hydnora Africana made me want to dig out my old Nintendo an play Mario Brothers though LOL

[Karen]

Most of these are not frightening at all! Some are fascinating, but not one is scary!

[cassiesmom]

I heard this story on the news about the corpse flower at the Michigan State Botanic Garden being in bloom earlier this summer and attracting lots of visitors...

http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/corpse-flowers-stench-graces-msu/

But 3, 4, and 7 .... ick, ick, ick!

[momcat]

Thanks Candace - this is a fascinating thread. I love the ones that look like little monkeys. I'd love to see many of them live and in person but I think I'll pass on the corpse flower. That one was featured on an episode of "CSI". Nature is full of awesome wonders like these plants. Kind of makes me wonder what else is out there that nobody has found yet.

[mrspunkysmom]

10.) Hydnora Africana. So freaky.
http://images.viralnova.com/000/063/976/desktop-1407357575.png Blastr (http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/images/assets_c/2011/08/1-Hydnora-africana-thumb-330x247-69100.jpg)


You got me interested so I read about some of these. The one above is the one that smells like poo. Ugh!


Awesome thread.

[smokey the elder]

Those are amazing! I know dolls' eyes are very poisonous; don't know too much about the others. I know when a corpse flower blooms it make the national news, because it is so rare.