Rare Flowers of the World The Rothschild’s Slipper Orchid

The strangely beautiful Rothschild’s slipper orchid is one of the rarest flowers in the world. It is characterized by its red stripes and long side petals. It can only grow in the rainforests of Mount Kinabalu in northern Boreno, a large Asian island. Its growth range is even more limited by elevation, growing only between 1,640 and 3,930 feet above sea level. This flower can take up to 15 years to blossom. Because it is so difficult to find, this orchid species has a high value on the black market where it is sold for as much as $5,000 per stem making it a target for smugglers.