Socratea exorrhiza or the Walking Palm is a palm that grows in the rain-forests in tropical Central and South America. It can grow to 25 meter, with a diameter of up to 17 cm. It is said that the roots allow the palm to “walk” away from the point of germination if another tree falls on the seedling and knocks it over. It is considered that it moves 20cm a month.
This plant is said to be able to live for up to 1000 years. An Austrian botanist Friedrich Welwitsch discovered it in 1859, after whom the plant got the name. It can be found in Namib Desert within Namibia and Angola. It grows from a short, thick, woody trunk; it has only two leaves and a long, thick taproot. It can eventually grow up to 2–4 m.
Ficus aka Strangler Fig is a plant than can strangle. After germinating in the branches of a tree roots will grow down the trunk. After the roots grow into the soil they get larger and eventually entirely surround the tree. In the end it strangles the tree, as it would do to you if you stood still for a couple of decades.
It is an evergreen tree that can be up to 80 – 100 feet tall. This tree grows in New South Wales area, North West of Sydney. The oldest fossil of the Wollemi tree has been dated to 200 million years ago.
Also known as living rocks are small plants that live in the desert. They are almost impossible to spot since they grow flat with the ground and are mistaken with rocks due to their appearance. They disguise themselves this way in order to prevent insects and rodents eating them for their water.
The word amorphophallus comes from the Greek words amorphous, meaning without shape and phallus meaning penis due to its shape. These somewhat funny plants are lowland plants. They grow in the tropical and subtropical zones, from West Africa to the Pacific Islands. They can be carefully prepared and cooked, after removing some parts of the plant that can cause irritation. Amorphallus titanium smells like rotten animal hence the name corpse lily.
This unusual nature’s artwork is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family. An interesting fact about this plant is that in most part it grows underground, except for its flower. This bizarre plant grows in southern Africa and it looks really scary.
It is considered to be the largest individual flower on earth. It is also known by the name ‘corpse flower ‘due to the strong odor of decaying flesh that that flower produces. It can be found in rain-forests of Bengkulu, Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Some species of the plant can be found in the jungles of Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. Most of them are threatened or endangered.
