Most Expensive Flower (and 5 More Blooms That'll Break the Bank)

Native to Sri Lanka, the Kadupul flower is considered priceless. Why? It only blooms at night and wilts within a few hours.

Its extremely short lifespan makes it practically impossible to sell, turning it into a temporary luxury admired only by those lucky enough to witness its bloom.

This flower’s frail beauty and short life span place it beyond financial boundaries.

Developed by Chinese agricultural scientists over eight years at Shenzhen Nongke University, this man-made orchid fetched a jaw-dropping amount — $200,000 — at auction.

It only blooms once every five years and combines delicate beauty with scientific achievement. This is one of the most expensive flowers ever sold, truly a product of human ingenuity.

Bred by famed rose breeder David Austin, the Juliet rose took 15 years and millions of dollars to perfect. Debuted at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2006, this expensive rose stunned the world with its soft apricot hues.

Dubbed the "£3 million rose" due to its development cost, the flower itself does not sell for millions — but its creation was a clearly a significant financial investment

Also known as the Kinabalu orchid, this rare bloom grows only in Malaysia's Kinabalu National Park. Due to its limited natural habitat and rarity, the Gold of Kinabalu can cost thousands of dollars per plant.

It only blooms in April and May, making each blossom a brief, lavish glory in the flower world.

Saffron may be a very beloved spice, but it starts as a flower. The saffron crocus produces saffron threads, which must be hand-harvested from the delicate blooms.

It takes about 75,000 flowers to make a single pound of saffron, which explains why this bloom ranks among the most expensive flowers in the world.

An extravagant bouquet created by Florist to the Stars, Joe Massie, for the Chelsea Flower Show once featured diamonds valued at over £83,000 (but this was not a standard entry in the competition and included sponsorship elements). Reports of exact carat counts vary and are not independently confirmed.

While the bouquet included actual flowers, the inclusion of gemstones catapulted its value into the realm of wealthy Dutch flower lovers and royal weddings — a short-lived gift with a long-lasting impression.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.