11 Flowers That Look Like Animals: Realistic Lookalikes 

Flowers that look like animals have features that can be linked to a particular animal by looking at their physical attributes. These plants belong to different species of fauna and flora, each with particular aspects that make them unique.

This resemblance is an evolutionary process that helps some survive, while for others, it’s a total coincidence.

Here are some unusual plants with extreme similarities to animals!

List of Flowers That Resemble Animals 

1. Monkey Face Orchid – Dracula Simia 

The monkey face orchid is native to the high areas of Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. It grows between 1200 and 2000 meters above sea level and is the rarest species of orchid in the world and unique to growing. It takes over seven years to achieve flowering as it grows slowly. 

– Description 

Dracula simia is a cute flower resembling a monkey’s face due to its spine, petals, column, and lip arrangement. The underside is purple, and the pistils draw a clear monkey muzzle. It has a small plant with very delicate stems and flowers. 

– Blooming  

Once the plant matures, the flower blooms at any time in its natural habitat. It produces several flowers that open successively. It has an attractive scent that resembles a ripe orange attracting many pollinators for fertilization.   

– Growing 

Monkey face orchid thrives in cold climates and humidity, where it can tolerate low temperatures and develop properly. It can withstand drought due to its pointed green leaves that store nutrients. 

2. Bee Orchid – Ophrys Apifera

The bee orchid is a type of perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Orchidaceae family. It is native to Western Asia and Europe.  

– Description 

The Ophrys Apifera is a short and stocky plant with a rosette of leaves at the ground level. The two leaves grow up the stem as a sheath, with the flower spike donning several widely spaced flowers. These flowers have large pink sepals colored like a real perched bee.

The sepals-like wings and the furry brown lips with yellow markings resemble a bee. As these features are not enough, this flower emits a female bee scent as well.  

– Growing 

This plant that resembles the bee blooms from early June to July, and the flowers are self-pollinating. 

Ophrys grow in semi-dry areas, grasslands, or open woodlands. It prefers well-drained soils that are low in nutrients and bright light.  

3. Naked Man Orchid – Orchis Italica 

The naked man orchid is native to the Mediterranean region in North Africa and the Middle East. It is a member of the Orchis plant genus and is a very hardy plant grown from bulbs.  

Some common names for this plant include the Italian Orchid, Gandergoose, and the Green Veined Orchid.  

– Description 

Orchis Italica has flowers with clusters of petals that look like a naked man. It has a rosette of wavy margined leaves at the base of the plant. The leaves are flecked with brown, and the flowers are usually pale to dark pink. The flowers are spotted with lipped blooms of purple, white or pink.

– Growing 

This plant does well in USDA hardiness zones five through eight. It requires deep rich soils that are well-drained. This flower blooms in April and May and can grow up to around 20 inches in height.  

4. Parrot Flower – Impatiens Psittanica

The parrot flower is native to Southeast Asia, Thailand, Burma, and India. It is well-known for its flower, which resembles a flying cockatoo.  

– Description 

Impatiens Psittanica has an orchid-like appearance. Its annual cup-shaped flower grows on thick, upright stems. It has reddish-purple petals that represents the body, a light green hook, and a sepal located underneath serving as a beak. Each bloom is a joy, but the plant is more like a weed.  

– Growing 

The parrot flower thrives in areas that have adequate moisture. They can tolerate some drought but not for very long. The best growing season is in the summer as long as you water them at least once per week.  

Parrot flowers are a very rare and protected species that bloom only for a few weeks annually from October to November.  

5. White Egret Orchids – Habenaria Radiata

The white egret orchids are found in Russia, China, Korea, and Japan. The egret orchid is commonly also known as the fringed orchid. It is a terrestrial orchid that grows from fleshy, pea-sized tubers.  

– Description 

The white egret flower produces strappy, deep green leaves and stunning flowers resembling pure white birds in flight.  

– Blooming 

The Habenaria Radiata has a long flowering period from February to August; however, it depends on your region. The flowers are at least an inch across with a yellow color and green center. They have a unique fragrance that is strong and musky.  

– Growing 

The egret flower is endangered in its natural habitat due to urbanization, over-collecting, and habitat destruction. It is very suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones five through ten. You can grow this plant in pots, so you bring it in when the frost approaches. It thrives in well-drained soils and full sunlight with some partial shade.  

6. Flying Duck Orchids – Caleana Major 

The flying duck orchid is native to Eastern and Southern Australia. It is a unique orchid plant that features Australian postage stamps and other beautiful orchids native to this country. It is also one of Australia’s vulnerable plants due to habitat destruction and a decrease in the number of critical pollinators.  

– Description 

Caleana Major is a small orchid with a remarkable flower resembling a duck in flight. The flowers are red, purple, or green. This flower is beautiful to insects like male sawflies that pollinate it thinking it’s a female sawfly. 

– Blooming 

These gorgeous blooms colored red, green, or purple appear in late spring and early summer. The plant dies off once the cold season kicks in. 

– Growing 

Caleana major is difficult to cultivate as it takes at least two years to flower, progressively weakening to death. This can discourage most plant lovers as you want it to keep producing these fun-looking flowers. However, should you decide to grow it, you will need to travel to Australia to get it. And even then, it will not grow anywhere else except in the eucalyptus woodlands of southern and eastern Australia. 

7. Dove Orchids – Peristeria Elata

These rare dove orchids are native to Panama and the surrounding countries. It is Panama’s national flower but has become extremely rare — joining the official list of endangered species. Many organizations in Panama are working hard to ensure it does not become extinct. 

– Description 

The dove orchid is also called the Holy Trinity orchid or the flower of the Holy Spirit due to its distinctive white flowers. These white blooms carry a small petal inside resembling a dove, thus its name.

These waxy fragrant white blooms are held on tall, upright stems with a nice scent. The stems can be three feet tall and hold dozens of blooms.  

– Growing 

Peristeria elata is best grown in warm to hot areas with a minimum temperature of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If you expose it to extreme conditions, the foliage will burn, so ensure it has constant moving air.

The Peristeria Elata flowers appear in late summer and early fall, and the spikes can take months to reach maturity. 

8. Moth Orchid – Phalaenopsis

Moth orchid is native to the warm tropical regions of Asia and Australia. It is known for brightening up indoor spaces in most homes in America. It is the most popular orchid because of its popularity with beginners. 

– Description 

Moth orchid features stalks that stand tall and produces several flowers and large green oval-shaped leaves at the bottom of the stems. A single multi-branching flower spike can have around 20 flowers. It has fascinating curled medusa hair roots that sit near the top of the soil, looking out for moisture and nutrients.  

– Blooming 

The flower stalks of moth orchids have multiple flower buds that bloom, producing striking colors all year round and lasting up to three months or more. These long-lasting blooms are held on arching branches and open easily when mature.

– Growing 

These orchids easily grow indoors when provided with average humidity levels, warm temperature conditions, and bright sunlight for long periods of time. You should support it once it reaches 12 inches to keep it growing upright. You can put them outside during the warmer months to enhance their growth even more. 

9. Fly Orchid – Ophrys Insectifera

The fly orchid is less attractive but is one of the best plants that display the shape of a fly so well. This is a feature that attracts pollinating insects. 

– Description 

Ophrys insectifera is so distinctive, with flowers that closely resemble little flies. The flower lip is velvety and purplish brown forming the insect’s body, the mirror is bright and shiny like the folded wings of a fly, and the two glossy depressions at the base of the lip represent the insect’s eyes. These flowers attract male digger wasps with their sweet intoxicating scent and flowers. 

– Blooming 

The fly orchid flowers can bloom as early as April to June. The pollinators get busy during this season, visiting the flower often.

-Growing 

The fly orchid thrives in soil that has low nitrogen and salt. It grows to a height of 15 to 40 cm when mature. You are most likely to find it growing in riparian forests, so provide moist soils that are not too wet to keep it thriving. 

10. Red Butterfly Wing – Christia Vespertilionis

The red butterfly wing looks very much like a swarm of butterflies in flight. This rare flower is native to Southeast Asia. It is one of the easiest and simplest plants to grow despite its exotic appearance, so it’s no wonder that most plant lovers are growing it. 

– Description 

This unusual plant has variegated, bat-shaped foliage in outstanding shades of purplish-red. The striped wings are at least two to four inches wide. The foliage tend to fold downward during nighttime and open up during the day. When the plant matures, it produces small whitish blooms along the top of the shoots. 

– Blooming 

The Christia Vespertilionis blooms in the spring, producing white flowers. These flowers remain for a week or two, and you can enjoy them if growing the plant indoors. 

– Growing 

The red butterfly grows to at least two feet tall with slender, arching stems where the leaves are suspended. It tolerates warm conditions well, growing both indoors and outdoors. It loves shade or filtered sunlight and will need protection from strong sun exposure. It prefers a well-draining soil mix that remains evenly moist.  

11. Dolphin Succulent – Monilaria Obconica

The succulent dolphin is a candle plant hybrid with leaves that resemble jumping dolphins.

This plant features plump green leaves that look like small dolphins jumping out of the flower pot. Each leaf is shaped like a half-moon with its protruding fin, just like this beautiful sea creature. 

– Blooming 

Most succulents do not flower; when they do, they are still not that great because the leaves stand out as the flowers. This is the same case with this plant. When it blooms, it produces attractive small flowers that are ignored since this plant is grown for its dolphin-shaped leaves.  

– Growing 

Dolphin succulent requires well-drained soils, or you can use a succulent commercial mix or make yours at home. Water it as needed, so you don’t kill its roots with too much water. 

Conclusion 

There you have it; the assorted flowers that look like animals are as listed above. You can have fun with any of these plants that can grow in your home, but before you think of adding these plants to your collection, here are a few essential points to remember.

• Before adding any plant to your collection, it’s best to check what the agricultural society says about it. You can ask any extension officer or look up information online.
• If you are a busy person and want to know the very easy plants to grow from this list, go for red butterfly wing, monkey face, naked man orchid, or dove orchids.
• Be sure to plant them somewhere you can see them more often to note the changes as they occur and also notice the flowers once they appear.
• Practice patience, as some plants can take years to produce flowers. Don’t give up on the way; plan to enjoy the growth process even as you wait for flowers.

Finally, flowers that look like animals can be scary, especially to kids who don’t know if they are natural plants, so be sure to keep them away from kids and pets to avoid damage and if you are not sure if they are toxic. Keep your plants away from constant touch from kids and pets to keep them thriving; all the best in your exotic plants’ journey!