World’s Largest Flower: Name, Size, And Where It Naturally Grows

Unlike the colourful and fragrant flowers that might be found in a garden, this rare species of giant has no roots, no leaves, and no stems, living instead as a hidden parasite deep within the tissues of tropical vines. It reveals its existence only periodically, when a giant cabbage-like bud bursts forth from the earth, extending into a leathery, reddish-brown monstrosity that can weigh as much as a medium-sized dog. Find out the world's largest flower, its name, size and where it naturally grows.

Which Is The World’s Largest Flower

The largest single flower is the Rafflesia arnoldii. Unlike other large flowers, which are actually collections of many small flowers, the Rafflesia arnoldii is a single large flower. It’s a genus of parasitic flowers and is one of the three national flowers of Indonesia.

How Big Is the World’s Largest Flower?

The most distinctive feature of this flower is its massive size, which can grow as large as 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter. It can weigh more than 10 to 11 kilograms per flower. It has five enormous petals. They are usually reddish-brown or brick-red in colour, with white warts all over them.

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Where Does the World's Largest Flower Naturally Grow?

Rafflesia arnoldii is highly localised and only occurs in the primary rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. It is also found in Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. It favours a warm, damp, and shady environment that lies between 400 and 1,000 meters above sea level.

Interesting Facts About The Largest Flower

• The Hissing Bloom: Some scientists and locals have reported that the flower emits a faint hissing noise as it unfurls because of the rapid expansion of its flesh.

• Heat Generator: The flower has the ability to produce its own heat, which helps to distribute its unpleasant smell deeper into the jungle.

• Local Medicine: The flower’s buds have been used in traditional Indonesian medicine to aid mothers in recovering from childbirth, although scientists have found that the buds could be toxic to the body.

• Invisible Life: The plant spends most of its life as a thread-like cellular structure within its host vine, similar to a fungal infection.

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Image credits: Freepik

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