14 Amazing Plants and Their Unique Characteristics
It’s incredible that these plants exist in nature.
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia
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Dama de Noche (Cestrum)
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Acacia
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Maple Tree (Acer saccharum – Sugar Maple)
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Makahiya or Sensitive Plant (Mimosa Pudica)
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Raffia Palm (Raphia)
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Edible Plants
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Pitfall Traps
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Splendid Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Edwardsiana)
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Nepenthes Rajah
It is perhaps the most spectacular of all Nepenthes, producing some of the largest pitchers
Nepenthes rajah is presently considered as the largest carnivorous plant with the largest known traps. It produces pitchers up to 35 cm (14 inches) in height and will sometimes consume small mammals like rats and other animals like frogs, lizards, even birds. Insects comprise majority of the prey in both aerial and terrestrial pitchers. It is endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighboring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.
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Flypaper Traps
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Butterwort (Pinguicula)
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Sundews (Drosera)
Flypaper traps use glue-like substance to hold onto unsuspecting insects. This genus use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they obtain from the environments.
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Snap Traps
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Venus Flytraps (Dionaea Muscipula)
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Waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda Vesiculosa)
The snap traps of Dionaea muscipula close rapidly when triggered to trap prey between two lobes.
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Bladderwort (Utricularia)
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Corkscrew Plant (Genlisea Violacea)
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Potatoes (Solanum Tuberosum)
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Giant Kelp (Macrosystis Pyrifera)
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Rafflesia
Dama de noche blooms at night and closes during the day. This species is grown as ornamental plants for its strongly scented flowers.
Acacia leaves are horizontal during the day and droop and close at night. Acacias are also known as thorn trees or wattles, including the yellow-fever acacia and umbrella acacias.
A maple tree yields 2 pounds of sugar a year and can be productive for a century. It is the national tree of Canada. Maples can also be used for furniture, veneers, floorings, shoe lasts, tool handles and musical instruments.
Mimosa pudica or makahiya’s leaflets respond almost instantly to touch heat or wind by folding up and at the same time the petiole droop. The leaves recover after about 15 minutes.
Raffia palm a native to tropical Africa has the largest leaves in the world which can grow as long as 80 ft.
There are 30,000 species of edible plants in the world. But just 20 of them, including corn, rice, and wheat provide 90% of the world’s food.
Pitfall traps – the prey falls into rolled leaf that contains a pool of digestive enzymes and /or bacteria at the bottom.
Snap traps has leaves that actually snap shut to create a plant prison.
Bladderwort is a kind of bladder traps use a bladder to suck in aquatic creatures.
Corkscrew plant is a kind of lobster-pot traps use inward-pointing hairs/bristles to force prey toward digestive enzymes.
Scientists recently traced the origins of all the world’s farmed potatoes to southern Peru.
Giant kelp looks like a kind of seaweed, but it is in fact the largest-known kind of algae. It grows in very long strands up to 65 m in length, and is fastened to the seabed with a root-like organ called a holdfast.
Rafflesia bears the largest flower of any known plant often reaches a length of 18 in. across and a weight of 15 pounds (6.8 kg). The flower is globe-shaped and is the only portion of the plant visible.
For more article about plants see
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22 Responses to “14 Amazing Plants and Their Unique Characteristics”
On July 6, 2008 at 11:31 am
Truely beautiful!!!
I am trying to beautify my 10 acre property here in Alberta Canada, we have some pasture space but the yard was terribly neglected. Its one of my favorite things to do, I also incorporate aviaculture (keeping of birds)
On July 6, 2008 at 11:35 am
( I am Marks wife)
yup, we try to seek out the unusual for our garden, as well as the edible. Thanks for this.
On July 6, 2008 at 11:38 am
Really amazing plants.
On July 6, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Nobert, amazing piece of work. I found it very interesting. I was suprised about the fact that our potatoes were traced back to Peru. Where do you find all your wonderful pictures? They always make your articles better.
On July 6, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Nobert, you have created a masterpiece of beauty. Thanks for all your hard work and sharing.
On July 6, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Very spectacular plants to behold;informative article.Thanks.
On July 6, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Beautiful plants!Thanks for sharing.
On July 7, 2008 at 2:06 am
Try to smell Rafflesia. hehehe
On July 7, 2008 at 5:39 am
Wow very interesting plants. My favorite is #4 the sensitive plant. I have one just 3 weeks old and already it folds up when I tickle it!
They have highest quality seeds at http://www.sensitiveplant.com If you never grew a sensitive plant or Tickleme Plant, you are missing out on a great experience. Watching a plants leaves fold up like an accordion when you tickle them is so cooooooool. Also a cool video and song on the http://www.sensitiveplant.com website. Its a much grow plant for all ages.
On July 7, 2008 at 9:49 am
thank you very much guys,
thanks Jenny,in addition sensitive plants are also medicinal plants.
On July 7, 2008 at 11:36 am
Very interesting, nobert! I loved the first one and the Makahiya but then it started to get scary with the trap plants.
I loved it as usual.
Darlene
On July 8, 2008 at 4:02 am
nice… very nice and very intersting….
On July 8, 2008 at 8:18 am
A fine article with splendid pictures. I had collected information to write a very similiar article, but you’ve beaten me to the punch!
Ah well, I’ll just have to keep it and do something else with it later on.
On July 8, 2008 at 9:59 pm
wow! Great article!
On July 8, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Truly interesting info here, the night time one was spectacular and very pretty!
On July 12, 2008 at 12:39 pm
very interesting article, lovely photo’s. thank you.
On July 12, 2008 at 12:41 pm
great article buddy.
On July 15, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Plants are always refreshing to the eyes. Thanks for this truly amazing article.
On July 30, 2008 at 9:50 pm
thank you all,i appreciate your support very much
On August 26, 2008 at 3:40 pm
A excellent article.
On February 18, 2009 at 9:57 am
Swwweeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttt
On March 21, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Plant #1 is actually an orchid cactus called “Queen of the Night” which is what Dama de Noche translates to. However it is not of the genus Cestrum. It is actually Epiphyllum oxypetalum. Cestrums or Jessamines are shrubby members of the Solanaceae or tomatoe/potatoe family. They have either diurnal or nocturnal blooming habits and some are noted for their fragrance being overwhelmingly powerful. Cestrum nocturnum is also called Queen of the Night. It has small, tubular, white flowers that open at night and exude their scent. Some people find it obnoxiously strong.
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