The World’s Slowest-Flowering Plants
最晚開花的植物
There’s nothing nicer than a garden when all of its flowers are in bloom. Gardeners work hard to care for their blossoms, making sure each has just the right amount of sun, water, and nutrients to create a fantastic display. But what if they had to wait dozens of years for the fruits of their labor? Read on to learn about some amazing slow-blooming plants.
Giant Himalayan Lily
The giant Himalayan lily is the world’s largest species of lily. Discovered in the mountains of Asia, it was brought to England in the 1850s and is now grown in gardens around the globe. The plant blooms in summer, but it takes four to seven summers for its white, trumpet-shaped flowers to appear.
Corpse Flower
With one of the biggest blossoms in the world, it’s no wonder the corpse flower takes up to 10 years to bloom. Its red spathe resembles a large petal, and the plant can reach a height of three meters in full bloom. Huge crowds gather to watch the event, but not just because of the flower’s beauty. They want to experience its rotting meat–like smell, which gives it its name and helps attract the flies that pollinate it.
沒有什麼比所有花朵都綻放時的花園更美的了。園丁們努力照顧他們的花卉,確保每一株都有適量的陽光、水分和養分以創造出精彩的展示。但要是他們得等待數十年才能看到勞動的果實怎麼辦呢?繼續看下去來了解一些神奇的晚開花植物。
喜瑪拉雅大百合(編注:又稱「大百合」)
喜瑪拉雅大百合是世界上最大的百合花種。它在亞洲的山區被發現,於一八五○年代被帶到英格蘭,現在被種植在全球各地的花園裡。這種植物夏天開花,但其白色喇叭狀的花需要四到七個夏天才會出現一次。
屍花(編注:又稱「巨花魔芋」)
擁有世界上最大的花卉之一,屍花需要長達十年才會開花就不足為奇。其紅色的佛焰苞像一個大花瓣,而這種植物盛開時可達三公尺高。大批人潮蜂擁來觀看此一盛事,但不只是因為花美而已。他們想要感受它像腐肉的氣味,這是它名字的由來,氣味也有助於吸引為其授粉的蒼蠅。
Sheep-Eating Plant
Found in the deserts of Chile, this plant has long, sharp spines that are used for trapping small animals. After being trapped, the animals eventually starve to death, and their bodies provide the nutrients the plant needs to bloom, which happens just once every 15 to 20 years.
Talipot Palm
This palm tree, one of the world’s tallest, can reach 25 meters in height. Its giant leaves are used as everything from umbrellas to notepads. When it’s 30 to 80 years old, it produces a spectacular number of blossoms, which unfortunately signals its coming death.
Queen of the Andes
According to Guinness World Records, the queen of the Andes is the slowest-blooming plant in the world, taking up to 150 years to produce its flowers. It also holds the record for being the largest bromeliad—a family of plants that includes the pineapple—with a height of up to 15 meters.
All of these plants are enormous, and many live in places where nutrients are scarce. This is probably why they take so long to show off their beautiful flowers. If you ever get the chance to see one in bloom, take it—you might never witness it again!
食羊樹(編注:正式名稱為「智利普亞鳳梨」)
這種植物生長在智利的沙漠中,有著長而銳利的刺用來困住小動物。動物受困後最終會餓死,而牠們的屍體提供這種植物開花所需的養分,每十五到二十年才會開一次花。
貝葉棕
這種棕櫚樹是世界上最高的樹之一,高度可達二十五公尺。其巨大的葉子被用來作為各種用品,從雨傘到記事本應有盡有。樹齡在三十至八十歲時會開出數量驚人的花朵,遺憾的是,這表示它即將死亡。
安地斯皇后(編注:正式名為「萵氏普亞鳳梨」)
根據金氏世界紀錄的記載,安地斯皇后是世界上開花最晚的植物,需要長達一百五十年才會開花。它也保有最大的鳳梨科植物(包含鳳梨在內的一個植物科)的紀錄,高達十五公尺。
所有這些植物都很巨大,且許多都生長在養分不足的地方。這可能就是為什麼它們需要這麼長的時間才能展現其美麗的花朵。如果你有機會看到其中一種開花,要把握機會——你可能無法再見到它了!