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Top 10 Most Expensive Flowers on Earth

Top 10 Most Expensive Flowers on Earth

Ever since Charlotte de la Tour published Le Langage des Fleurs in 1819, people have been fascinated by the symbolic meaning (or language) of eye-catching blooms. Today, many professionally-arranged bouquets and flower arrangements sell for hundreds. But which flowers add the most to the final bill of these colorful floral decorations?

The most expensive flower on Earth is the Kadupul Flower. This flower is considered priceless due to its short bloom time and rarity, as its primarily found in the dense undergrowth of tropical rainforests. These flowers open at the full month’s light but wilt by the time the morning sun rises.

Are you looking to surprise that special someone with a bouquet of some of the world’s most expensive flowers? If so, this ranking will help guide you in the right direction!

Here Are the Top 10 Most Expensive Flowers on Earth:

  1. Kadupul Flower (Queen of the Night) – Priceless
  2. Sweet Juliet Rose – $5 Million Per Plant
  3. Shenzhen Nongke Orchid – $203,000 Per Plant
  4. Gold of Kinabalu (Rothschild’s Slipper Orchid) – $5,000 Per Stem
  5. White Frill Lisianthus – Up to $56 Per Bunch
  6. Gardenia – Up to $38 Per Flower
  7. Gloriosa Lily – Up to $22 Per Bulb
  8. Lily of the Valley – Up to $17 Per Stem
  9. Pink Blossom Hydrangea – Up to $9 Per Stem
  10. Calla Lily – Up to $8 Per Stem

10. Calla Lily – Up to $8 Per Stem

Calla-Lily

There might not be a more elegant or feminine flower than the iconic calla lily. With blooms that resemble upside-down bells and petals that gently curl to form near-perfect circles, these flowers are thought to represent beauty and fertility.

But gifting that special someone a bouquet of calla lilies can be pricey, as it can cost up to $8 Per Stem.

It’s also worth noting that calla lilies contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause mild poisoning in humans. These crystals can prove toxic in pets, so it’s best not to keep cut calla lily flowers in homes with dogs, cats, or small children.

Why Is It So Expensive?

Tall-stemmed calla lilies with snow-white flowers are often the priciest of the bunch due to their refined aesthetic and usefulness as a wedding decoration. Smaller, more colorful varieties tend to be more affordable.

9. Pink Blossom Hydrangea – Up to $9 Per Stem

Pink-Blossom-Hydrangea

If you live in the Southern United States, you’re probably no stranger to hydrangea flowers. These big colorful blooms grow on hydrangea bushes, often used as decorative barriers around residential buildings.

The scent of these flowers is often compared to that of jasmine, but with a few sweeter vanilla-like notes thrown in. And because they come in a wide range of colors, hydrangea flowers are a favorite for household vases!

Still, if you’re looking to snap up the costliest and most breathtakingly beautiful hydrangea blooms, you might want to select the Pink Blossom Hydrangea. At up to $9 per stem, this might not be the priciest flower in the world, but it’s certainly up there!

Why Is It So Expensive?

Many types of hydrangea flowers change color. This happens as the soil around their root systems absorbs or loses aluminum.

As a result, ensuring that hydrangea flowers remain a delicate, bright pink color takes plenty of care and soil testing. Because of this, many growers charge premium prices for their pink hydrangea flowers.

8. Lily of the Valley – Up to $17 Per Stem

Lily-of-the-Valley

The alluring scent of Lily of the Valley flowers makes it popular for gardens and indoor vases. The delicate bell-shaped flowers hang from the plant’s equally dainty stem, and each tiny flower’s white coloration is similar to freshly fallen snow.

As you might imagine, the fragility, sweetness, and unique shape of Lily of the Valley flowers make them a must-have for weddings of all sizes. But at $17 per stem, you might want to rethink adding these blooms to your tabletop floral arrangements.

It’s also worth noting that, like many other lilies, Lily of the Valley is highly poisonous. So while those bell-shaped flowers might have you thinking of wedding bells, they can also send your well-dressed guests to the hospital if consumed.

Why Is It So Expensive?

The primary reason Lily of the Valley flowers are so expensive is their short lifespan and limited availability. Once cut, these flowers begin to wilt in decay in just a few days, regardless of how well you take care of them.

Additionally, these flowers generally only bloom for about a month in spring or early summer, making them challenging to find during all other times of the year. Still, another lily is a little pricier than the Lily of the Valley: the Gloriosa lily.

7. Gloriosa Lily – Up to $22 Per Bulb

Gloriosa-Lily

The Gloriosa lily (Gloriosa superba) produces orchid-like blooms of violet-red and yellow. These flowers remain vibrant long after being cut, making them a favorite among floral arrangers. But this unique beauty does come at a price.

Several prices, actually.

Not only are Gloriosa lily flowers pricey, costing up to $22 per bulb (each bulb producing between one and four stems), but they’re also highly toxic.

Every single part of this plant is toxic to cats, dogs, horses, and humans. So, if you’d like to purchase some of this plant’s eye-catching blooms, you’ll want to keep them away from pets, small children, and hungry house guests.

Why Is It So Expensive?

In the wild, Gloriosa lilies only grow in certain parts of Asia and South Africa. Consequently, they’re a rare find throughout Europe and North America. For this reason, many Gloriosa lily flowers are imparted from faraway locations, making them an expensive floral find.

6. Gardenia – Up to $38 Per Flower

Gardenia

The high cost of floral decorations and arrangements is one of the major reasons weddings are so expensive. And if you’d like a smattering of gardenias to brighten up your big day, you expect to spend big bucks, up to $38 per flower!

That’s right; these sweet-smelling blooms are big business for flower vendors. But they’re also some of the most beloved flowers, especially for big events like weddings.

Not only are gardenia flowers pleasant to look at, but they’re also capable of producing a wide array of fragrances, perfuming the air with a combination of tropical, peppery, and sweet notes.

Why Is It So Expensive?

Demand and maintenance are the two reasons why gardenia flowers are so costly.

As mentioned previously, these flowers are some of the most sought-after blooms for weddings due to their glowing white petals and captivating aromas. But cutting and transporting these flowers can be challenging.

Gardenia petals tend to bruise easily and wilt quickly, so those who’d like to order gardenias (but don’t live near a nursery that sells them) often have to pay exorbitant prices for rapid and specialized shipping.

5. White Frill Lisianthus – Up to $56 Per Bunch

White-Frill-Lisianthus

Defining a “bunch'” of flowers can be tricky, but most professional botanists and flower arrangers utilize the “grower’s bunch” definition of between five and ten stems. The number of flowers on each stem varies, and when it comes to White Frill Lisianthus, you’re looking at as little as two or as many as six blooms per stem.

The variation makes it difficult to nail down exactly how much each flower costs, but at least one thing is certain: White Frill Lisianthus is one of the priciest flowers on Earth.

At up to $56 per bunch (between 10 and 60 flowers), this floral wedding favorite can drain a significant chunk of change out of your checking account. But these flowers are undeniably elegant, so the expenditure could be worth it.

Why Is It So Expensive?

Lisianthus flowers, particularly those that are pure ivory or bright white color, are a popular choice for weddings. As such, there’s a high demand for white lisianthus flowers. This abnormally high demand is the primary reason they’re so expensive.

Still, these flowers aren’t nearly as costly as some of the world’s most expensive bonsai trees. They’re also cheap compared to some of the world’s priciest orchids, including the Gold of Kinabalu.

4. Gold of Kinabalu (Rothschild’s Slipper Orchid) – $5,000 Per Stem

Paphiopedilum-rothschildianum
photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The Gold of Kinabalu orchid (Paphiopedilum rothschildianum) is also called the Rothschild’s Slipper Orchid. It looks like something from another planet.

The blooms have an almost diamond-like structure, with a tall striped upper petal and a crimson-tipped middle petal that somewhat resembles the tip of a pointed slipper. These petals are striped in yellow, black, and red hues, making them instantly eye-catching.

But if you’d like to add one to your kitchen vase, you can expect to spend about $5,000 per stem! These flowers are endangered, and as with other endangered species, making one your own quickly gets costly.

Besides, this unique orchid only grows near rivers in the rainforest surrounding Mount Kinabalu. So importing one to your location is sure to be an expensive feat.

Still, what else can you expect from a flower with “Rothschild” in the title?

Why Is It So Expensive?

The flower’s rarity and remote habitat make it an expensive bloom. The Gold of Kinabalu is also a slow-growing plant, with flowers sometimes taking more than a decade to develop and bloom.

3. Shenzhen Nongke Orchid – $203,000 Per Plant

Shenzhen-Nongke-Orchid

The Shenzhen Nongke Orchid is one of the most expensive plants in the world. Its blooms are also jaw-droppingly expensive, and it’s not challenging to understand why.

After all, the Shenzhen Nongke Orchid only blooms once every five years. At that rate, you’d only see it flower maybe a dozen or so times throughout your life!

Another aspect that makes the Shenzhen Nongke Orchid unique is that its the result of almost a decade of careful propagation. It took scientists from Shenzhen Nongke University eight years to create this orchid, and the rare flower is considered a delicacy due to its edible nature.

When a single flower from the Shenzhen Nongke Orchid was put up for auction in 2005, it sold for an astounding $203,000 (originally CNY 1.68 million).

Why Is It So Expensive?

Any plant that only produces two flowers per decade is bound to become valuable vegetation. But the fact that this plant’s flower is a culinary delight also adds to its high price tag.

2. Sweet Juliet Rose – $5 Million Per Plant

Sweet-Juliet-Rose

Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Juliet Capulet of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet might have believed that the answer was a resounding “yes,” but she never got to lay eyes on the Sweet Juliet Rose named after her!

The Sweet Juliet Rose (Rosa ‘Ausleap’) is an English rose that took more than a decade to come to fruition. Created by David Austin, this uniquely peach-colored rose results from dozens of cross-hybridizations and plenty of trial and error.

All told, it’s estimated that Austin spent about $5 million to create this blushing bloom.

Of course, you can now buy a Sweet Juliet Rose plant for less than $40. Hopefully, Austin’s massive Shropshire rose garden is bringing in enough profits to help him recoup the money spent to create this rose!

Why Is It So Expensive?

Like the world’s most expensive chickens, color and have a significant effect on an animal’s (or plant’s) value. That’s certainly the case with the Sweet Juliet Rose.

Its unique coloration makes it quite distinct from other roses. While this rose’s blooms aren’t worth millions, the money that went toward creating this one-of-a-kind hybrid certainly exceeds the average gardener’s budget.

1. Kadupul Flower (Queen of the Night) – Priceless

Kadupul-Flower

The most expensive flower is the Kadupul Flower (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), also called the Queen of the Night flower. Although the plant that produces this flower is relatively affordable, the flowers are considered priceless due to their incredibly short bloom time.

Most flowering plants bloom for several weeks at a time (or year-round in the right conditions). Individual blooms remain vibrant for a week or longer. But the Kadupul flower only blooms for a few hours and only under the light of a full moon.

Why Is It So Expensive?

Many flowers are valuable for their beauty and scent, but the Kadupul flower is considered priceless because of its short bloom time. It’s impossible to cut a Queen of the Night flower and display it, as blooms immediately wilt and die after being removed from their stems.

Additionally, the Kadpul flower only opens and reveals its beauty during the late nighttime hours (around 10 pm to about 5 am). When exposed to sunlight, the flower almost instantaneously crumbles.

Only those willing to stay awake into the night and capture the sight of these gorgeous white blooms have a chance of seeing their beauty. No amount of money can change this!

What’s the Most Expensive Flower in the World?

The most expensive flower is a somewhat controversial choice: the Kadupul Flower, also called the Queen of the Night. The plant is surprisingly affordable, with cuttings and seeds often retailing for $25 or less. But its blooms are considered priceless treasures.

That’s because the plant’s flowers only bloom during the full moon and are wilted by sunrise. Taking a cutting of a recently unfurled bloom is pointless, as the flower will immediately begin decaying as soon as it’s removed from its stem or exposed to sunlight.

Discover more about the world’s most expensive animals and plants. Check out these related articles now!