Flowers have long been a symbol of love and romance, offering a visual and olfactory indulgence that is both luxurious and temporary. The more rare and exotic the flower, the higher its price tag. While it's not always necessary to spend a fortune on a bouquet, here are five of the world's most expensive flowers that push the boundaries of what's considered reasonable.
5 - Saffron Crocus
Although not a particularly rare or expensive flower, saffron crocus makes our list because its stamens are cultivated for saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. Saffron costs around $700 US Dollars per 500 grams, making it a pricey delicacy.
4 - Gold of Kinabalu Orchid
The Gold of Kinabalu Orchid is an endangered species found only in a small fenced-off area of Malaysia's Kinabalu National Park. With a price tag of around $3,500 US Dollars for a single stem, this rare flower is an impractical and costly gift, as it only blooms between April and May.
3 - Shenzhen Nongke Orchid
Completely man-made flower that took eight years of research in agricultural science to develop, the Shenzhen Nongke Orchid was sold at auction in 2005 for a staggering $190,000 US Dollars or 1.68 million Chinese Yuan, making it the most expensive flower ever sold.
2 - Juliet Rose
Beautiful and delicate rose that was created by David Austin, the Juliet Rose is known for its soft pink color and delicate fragrance, and it took 15 years to develop it. The Juliet Rose is considered one of the most expensive roses in the world, with a price tag of around $3.5 million US Dollars at the time it was introduced.
1 - Kadupul flower
The Kadupul Flower is the most expensive flower in the world, not because of its price tag but because it is priceless. This delicate flower, native to Sri Lanka, lives for only a few hours, blossoming just before midnight and perishing before dawn. Its rarity and ephemeral nature have made it almost mythical in status, and no one has ever been able to remove it from its stem to make a gift of it. While it has never been sold for a price, it is considered by many to be the most valuable and desirable flower on earth.