The Best Nurseries for Rare Plants

Winn Soldani

• Elephant Ear Hibiscus, available from renowned hibiscus cultivator, Winn Soldani of Miami, Florida, is outstanding. The giant flowers are from 7 to 9 inches in size, as high as they are wide. The flowers present double petals that are a creamy white with a deep pink blush. The plant is excellent specimen planting in both urban or rural landscapes. When planted as a hedge, the dense bushes form a deep green and floral barrier that immediately attracts attention. The rare plant does well in U.S. hardiness zones 9 and 10.

Prince of Wales Conservatory

• Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanium) is a "real stinker." One of the rarest and most spectacular plants in the world, this huge flowering rarity is easily recognized by its distinct foul stench. Titan arum only presents one large leaf and a huge flowering center stalk. The tropical area of the Prince of Wales Conservatory in China has one of the world's finest specimens of Titan arum.

Cactus Mall

• The Cactus Mall, an online rare plant vendor, offers an outstanding collection of lithops (Lesliei rubrobrunnea), also known as flowering stones, for sale. Lithops are rare, unique and very usual. The fleshy, little plants look like living stones. Growing in nature at high altitudes, some varieties of lithops thrive at elevations exceeding 7,500 feet.

Rare Plants

• Rare Plants, one of the largest and most diversified dealers of rare bulbs and plants can be found in Wrexham in the United Kingdom. Eranthis hyemalis Grunling, also known as Winter Aconites, are a rare and difficult to locate plant. They do not produce seed, so it is unusual to find them available for sale at Rare Plants.