Flowers and birds are both admired for their beauty and grace. When they come together in nature it creates a magical experience. Certain flowers remarkably resemble birds in their shape form and color. These bird-like blooms are a delight to behold in any garden. Let’s explore 7 of the most gorgeous flowers that look like birds.
1. Bird of Paradise
The eye-catching bird of paradise flower is aptly named for its resemblance to the beautiful tropical birds It features long-spurred orange and blue petals emerging from a stiff stem that looks like a bird’s body and tail This exotic bloom thrives in tropical climates and is a favorite ornamental plant. Some also call it the crane flower since its shape mimics a crane in flight. With its vibrant colors and unique form, the bird of paradise flower is a fascinating addition to any garden.
2. Parrot Flower
Native to Southeast Asia, the parrot flower showcases stunning blooms that look uncannily like a parrot in flight. The rich purple petals combined with a curved pistil and stamen give it a bird-like appearance. Though challenging to cultivate outside its natural habitat, similar ornamental varieties like the parrot impatiens can provide the look in most gardens. With its tropical allure, the parrot flower is one of the most vivid flowers that resemble birds.
3. Dove Orchid
The dove orchid features elegant white blooms shaped like peaceful doves. Up close, you can see delicate details resembling a dove sitting serenely in its nest. This rare orchid species thrives in tropical climates, especially its native regions of Panama. Beyond its visual charm, the dove orchid holds cultural significance and is known as the national flower of Panama. For its graceful beauty and symbolism, the dove orchid is a special addition to gardens.
4. Flying Duck Orchid
This rare orchid from Australia produces amazing blooms that look like a duck in flight. The deep maroon and brownish-purple petals cleverly mimic a flying duck, complete with its outstretched wings. Interestingly, its duck-like shape attracts the sawfly, an important pollinator. The orchid’s natural habitat is rugged bushland where pollinators are scarce. With its imaginative appearance and ingenuity for survival, the flying duck orchid is an extraordinary example of a bird-resembling flower.
5. Regal Birdflower
The regal birdflower is a beautiful Australian native known for its flowers’ likeness to colorful birds like lorikeets and hummingbirds. Its aptly named tubular blooms come in bright shades of red, orange, or yellow with details that resemble a bird’s head, wings, and tail. This rare plant grows well in warm climates and adds a tropical flair to gardens As a legume, it also enriches the soil The regal birdflower brings a whimsical, bird-inspired beauty to landscapes.
6. Cockspur Coral Tree
The cockspur coral tree produces abundant clusters of scarlet flowers that look remarkably like a rooster’s comb and wattle. Its bushy form combined with the red head-like blooms give it a strong bird resemblance. Also called the Espírito Santo, this tropical plant thrives in warm, humid areas and is commonly seen in Mediterranean gardens. Beyond being a visual marvel, it’s easy to grow, drought-tolerant and virtually pest and disease-free. For its vivid charm and hardiness, the cockspur coral tree is a prized plant.
7. Lady Slipper Orchid
Slipper orchids are named for their fanciful blooms that look like a slipper. But the lady slipper orchid also bears an uncanny resemblance to a tropical bird in flight. Its “wings” flap out dramatically from a tapered “body.” Lady slippers come in a diverse array of colors like red, orange, yellow, pink, white, and purple. This exotic orchid can be tricky to cultivate but adapts well as a potted plant. The lady slipper orchid offers a bold, bird-inspired beauty.
Beyond their visual appeal, many of these flowers provide ecological benefits. Their nectar attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators while some species like legumes improve soil fertility. These clever plants use their bird-like blooms to ensure pollination and propagation in their natural habitats. Their unique adaptations and natural artistry make flowers that resemble birds so fascinating.
Incorporating these whimsical blooms into your garden design can create a magical, nature-inspired setting. Plant a combination of bird-like flowers among greenery and trees to mimic a natural habitat where plants and avians mingle in harmony. Watching these charming flowers sway and flutter as if about to take flight is a source of wonder and tranquility in an outdoor sanctuary. Let your spirit soar alongside the botanical birds in your garden.
Narrow-leaved Bird-of-paradise Strelitzia juncea
This is the most drought tolerant of the bird-of-paradise varieties. It has very thin, almost reed-like leaves and grows in a dense clump, making it a lovely accent plant. The flowers are slightly smaller than those of Strelitzia reginae, but are the same color.
In its native Africa, Strelitzia juncea is only found in six locations along the Eastern Cape, and it is listed as Vulnerable due to quarrying and industrial development, illegal collection for the horticultural trade, and invasive plants. In addition, the number of natural bird pollinators has declined and the plants produce few seeds, further endangering their survival.
Giant bird-of-paradise Strelitzia nicolai
This is a much larger plant than Strelitzia reginae, forming huge clumps of stems that can reach 30 feet in height in mature, well-established plants. Its flowers are different as well: the crown of sepals is white or faintly pink, with a blue “tongue” of petals, arising from a dark purplish black bract. One flower spathe sprouts out of another, which gives them a double-decked appearance. The flowers bloom from spring to late summer, and they produce copious amounts of nectar that is attractive to sunbirds in their native Africa and orioles in the US.
Which Flowers looks like a bird ?
FAQ
What is the name of the flower that looks like a bird?
Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae. A bird of paradise flower at dusk. Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is a dramatic plant with distinctive iridescent orange and midnight blue flowers that resemble an exotic bird peeking out from the broad leaves in autumn, winter and spring.
What plant grows to look like a bird?
The rare parrot flower (Impatiens psittacina) is native to southeast Asia but renowned for its flowers that look like birds. The multi-colored flowers resemble a bird in flight, with petals for the wings and tail.
What is the orchid that looks like a bird?
Three birds orchid (Triphora trianthophora) is an unusual orchid of deciduous forests ranging across much of central and eastern North America. The common name, three birds orchid, is attributed to the flower’s resemblance to three birds in flight.
What flowers look like birds?
Indigenous to South Africa, the bird of paradise flower is often the first one that comes to mind when thinking of blossoms that look like birds. This ornamental plant is relatively easy to grow outdoors in warm climates. If you live in a colder climate area, keep it as a houseplant.
Do Bird plants look like birds?
But if you take a closer look at its flower, you’ll notice a bird sitting on a branch. Yup, this plant produces large upright cup-shaped flowers that, just before they bloom, look just like a tiny bird making this one of our plants that look like birds contenders.
What flower looks like a hummingbird?
The Impatiens psittacina, also known as the parrot flower, looks like a bird’s beak with its reddish-purple petals and a single apex. This rare flower was discovered in the forests of Southeast Asia and is recognizable by the small hook that makes up its lower sepal and is light green in color. What plant has petals that look like hummingbirds?
What does a parrot flower look like?
Scientific name: Impatiens psittacina A gorgeous purple flower that looks like a bird, the parrot flower belongs to a species of balsam tree native to Southeast Asia. As you can imagine, it owes its name to the peculiar shape that looks like a parrot flying. Depending on where it grows, the tree can be an annual or evergreen perennial.
Why do flowers look like birds?
Flowers are nature’s way of attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. But some flowers have evolved to look like birds instead. One theory is that flowers that mimic birds are more likely to be visited by real birds, which are more effective pollinators than insects.
What is a green bird flower?
Green Bird Flower (Crotalaria cunninghamii) The Green Bird Flower is a short-lived perennial that can be traced to the legume family, Fabaceae. The plant takes on the shape of several hummingbirds gathering to feed on flowers. This plant has a long list of nicknames that they go by, among which are Regal Birdflower, Parrot Pea, etc.