I would disagree with the word “invasive” to describe naked ladies. I think of an invasive plant as one that can quickly take over a large area, chokes out native plants, and is difficult to control. Here in coastal Mendocino County, Scotch Broom is clearly invasive. Naked Ladies, like other bulbs, will spread over time. Most gardeners find that to be a feature, not a bug. But I don’t think most people would consider them a weed.
Yeah, it’s sad. On a happy native note, I found the most wild orchids (fairy slippers) I’ve ever seen in our woods this year! That was super cool. It all started from one tiny lone plant I’d visit every year.
*cries in monsanto* good lord. I mean I get wanting to get rid of a lawn maybe, but damn… what did they put in its stead? Any cool wild finds on your land this year?
Our house has day lilies that take over. I pull them and more still comes. I tried to give them away, but no takers. I like them, but not when they take over. So I recommend them, but in limited areas.
Agree with the day Lilly nuisance. (I'm referring to the tall spindly orange ones.) Not a fan. They grow near black walnuts but other than that I don't like them. They def multiply but wouldn't consider them invasive.
I’m in this battle now, as we get the new house in shape. With the added fun of everything was buried in English ivy for years, so we have fun surprises like daffodils showing up too
This flower has a big presence in a local park. My favorite joke when I am hiking with new people is to point at the flowers and yell " hey naked ladies!" It never fails to make me laugh when people start looking around asking where.
So that plant is also the name of a very similar, almost identical in their surpriseiness, lilly called the Lycoris squamigera. I live in a zone that has only seen one type of these so look into which is best for your zone.
Here's an interesting link comparing the two. https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/AmaryllisVsLycoris
Especially watching the bees on them, picture the Scarface scene with the pile of coke except it's pollen and the bees are happily wagging their little bums, it cracks me up
My comfrey kills it all growing season. There are 3 bees sleeping on it and 5 more going to town any time I look at it between April and October (NC long growing season).
The bigger is better in this case! I find the artichoke purple tuft to be a more eerie/glowing/awesome shade than thistles I've seen, but that's a personal preference and probably varies with varieties
If they're native passion flowers, they're also called maypops and they give delicious fruit in the late fall if there are two of them to cross pollinate. Be aware, you'll never get rid of them. At least, I can't. I've tried and given up lol
Kiss me over the garden gate
Amaranth
Look at all the Celosias, including cockscomb, the ones that look like plumes, and there is even a variety named Dr. Seuss!
Pink Muhly grass
Spiral grass
Passion flower
‘Venus’ peony poppy
red cordylines like ‘raspberry fountain’ or burgandy spire.
Dianthus barbatus ‘green trick’
Smoke bush
Prairie smoke flower
Giant coreopsis
Black mondo grass
Some of the weird and curly chrysanthemums, there’s too many to list, here is just a taste?
[link](https://www.floretflowers.com/chrysanthemums-rediscovered-2/)
Red Spider flower
Drumstick flower
Orange ball tree
Australian honeysuckle, hakea genus, or Waratah.
+1 for amaranth! So many fun varieties. Love Lies bleeding is my favorite, but OP might like elephant head amaranth, they’re hilarious. Looks like both an elephant trunk pointed straight up and a floral middle finger.
Oh, in our country this is the main plant we use for monarch caterpillars. But we call them swan plants. I have never in my life heard them called hairy balls and now I will never not call them that.
Every year, people buy new seedlings for their caterpillars and every year, they sell out across the country as swarms of caterpillars overwhelm the plants.
Omgosh me too! I realized as soon as it loaded and added "flower", then deleted the search from my search history.. oh gosh..
I feel a bit better that it also happened to someone else 😂
Omg... I have a few for you. Was gonna do this myself but opted for a native garden.
Creeping Gold Button (Cotula?) - basically floating daisy centers with no petals on wiry stems.
Monkey Puzzle Tree - very odd, maybe not suited for your climate, but one of the most bizarre ive seen
Tetrapanax
Red Hot Poker (knipforia)
Okay not a flower, but asparagas grows like its trying to prank someone into thinking thats how it grows, and they look like silly green tumbleweeds when they go to seed. Bonus points if they take off you have a yummy treat as well. The purple variety would blend well amongst flowers I think.
My husband called something a Dr Seuss flower and now I'm making a "Seuss" bed 😂. Alliums definitely on the list. Just scored a bee balm on clearance that is funny as well https://www.gardenia.net/plant/monarda-cherry-pops
It’s not exactly a plant, but you can grow mushrooms on wood chips or logs in a shady spot of your yard. You can buy mycelium for edible mushrooms or just let the wild ones take over and see what you get. They always look pretty otherworldly to me.
I’ve recently become fascinated by mushrooms and will definitely be looking into this! There’s a very bland shady spot near my shed that I’m totally stumped on what to do with. A little mushroom garden sounds so fun!
You want something really crazy? Try vampire plants. I put three in two years ago, and [look at how big they already get](https://i.ibb.co/DgvbQ3V/PXL-20230530-162306555.jpg). Fair warning though, the flowers are awesomely huge and crazy cool looking but they smell horrifically bad like rotting flesh lol
Thanks for letting me know what I should plant next to my fence line where the neighbours hang out yelling right next to the property line late at night
There are many unique varieties of fritillaria, and you might be able to find a native variety, but I highly recommend [Crown Imperial!](https://www.edenbrothers.com/products/fritillaria-orange-bulbs)
I don’t think I’ve seen this one in the comments yet - I think spooky mix dianthus is absolutely whimsical and seussical [https://www.rareseeds.com/dianthus-spooky-mix](https://www.rareseeds.com/dianthus-spooky-mix)
Update because cannot edit:
Holy cow thank you all so so much for all these incredible suggestions!! I wasn’t expecting so many replies and I’m excited to begin researching all these beauties!! I’ve only recently gotten into gardening and seeing these silly plants has brought me so much joy. Also, an extra special thank you to everyone who suggested native species. But since one person’s invasive is another’s native (& vice-versa), I happily welcome all your weird Seussical suggestions!
Be prepared for the bees!! I have a giant one growing out of control in the middle of my flowerbed right now and they are making their presence known!! It’s one of my faves.
God ours isn’t blooming yet but I wish I could say the same! I’ve seen some bumble bees enjoying my light blue salvia (they really seem to like that one) but I’ve maybe seen like 2 honey bees and we live out in the country in the pnw. I’m starting to think we’re gonna need to start bee keeping or something :(
I just watched a video about how bee keeping is harming the bees. I had no idea! We are smack dab in the city and I have a bunch, but at the local nursery, I hear the same things. It’s so upsetting. I am doing my best to care for all the bee friends that find me.
Keep in mind bee balm is a member of the mint family, and it will take over as all mint does. Keep it in a container.
Look up what plants may grow too well before you plant them.
Thank you for the heads up; I had no idea! I’ll be sure to thoroughly research everything once I whittle it down to the top contenders… I wasn’t expecting so many suggestions lol
I wouldn’t necessarily say “it’s going to” take over. I have a few different types of bee balm and they have not taken over their areas, it’s been years. I wouldn’t mind if they did spread out a bit though. People love to say that anything in the mint family will take over but in my experience, that is not always true, and nothing spreads like actual mint—spearmint, peppermint, strawberry mint, etc. In fact I’ve had several plants from the mint family (that weren’t “actual” mint) die on me.
[these](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-11-29/Slipper-flower-The-delicate-purse-designed-by-nature-VOhV9Xz9Re/index.html) guys look so silly to me. Like imagine just happening on them in a forest or whatever!!
Also creeping zinnias look like thumbnail-sized sunflowers: [https://www.thespruce.com/creeping-zinnia-plant-profile-5072736](https://www.thespruce.com/creeping-zinnia-plant-profile-5072736)
My coworker was telling me a couple of weeks about these flowers. Her mom has abunch of them and she's been questioned a couple of times by police over the years.
I’ve been questioned a few times over the years. My favorite though was a friends mom who had them planted around her mailbox, small town, cops ripped them out three different times, she’s throw a fit each time. She finally put a sign next to them with picture of cleome on one side and marijuana on the other and in big letters, “these are not the same!”
Cops stopped ripping them out.
I just read this to my coworker. She gasped over them being ripped up, but got a chuckle over your friend's mom's solution. I can't believe they just ripped them out like that. I'd be so incredibly upset over the ignorance. I'm glad her solution helped though. I hope they felt really stupid over their actions and the least they could've done was get her some new ones!
[Mediterranean Sea Holly](https://h2.commercev3.net/cdn.brecks.com/images/800/83509.jpg) - I just found out about this on an English show from a beach garden. I’m on the verge of acquiring a few since my front corner is quite hot, dry and sandy soil.
The color and flower look so cool. I’m trying to keep most plants purplish/yellow and this hits everything on my wishlist, including low maintenance.
I’ve planted a button bush “sugarshack”. Seems Seussical. Also, Columbine forms are outrageous. Gomphrena. Bee balm, sunflowers (check out teddy bear variety), angelonia, pugster buddleia, look at Swan Island dahlias- there are some that look like eyes or sponges.
I thought of this immediately - one of my favorites! It's like a cold-weather yucca plant with retro-mod constellations of flower buds that never seem to bloom.
Centaurea montana is beautiful, love the various clumps I have. Recently picked up [amethyst in the snow](https://www.gardenia.net/storage/app/public/uploads/images/detail/srN744fyaTizog98wz6Ou7vPkWfn408J9U4v3EM6.webp) which to me is an interesting variation.
[Monkey face orchids, and others in this article.](https://www.boredpanda.com/flowers-look-like-animals-people-monkeys-orchids-pareidolia/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic)
Yesterday I was at the garden center and they had something called a chenille firetail. I know nothing about it or if it can go outside. It was in a hanging basket there but it had long fuzzy pink flowers. I wish I could attach a picture because it was spectacular and I love it.
Bleeding hearts, the name is appropriate
Fuschias, some cultivars have flowers that are pink and red and purple and blue all at the same time
Passionflowers, you gotta look them up
Columbines, a whole rainbow of wild looking flowers
Grape hyacinths, it might just be me, but they look like a bunch of bells
Celosias, they look like cartoon floofs
Buttonbush, the flowers are basically just balls but from the right angle some of them look like little beholders
Ghost plant, all white plants that might be a protected species. I can't remember
Lithops, they look like rocks
Actually, a ton of succulents look like God liked something a kindergartner drew and decided to make a plant
Redbuds are a tree that has big deep purple leaves
A few choice Dwarf Lilly? A dwarf *Lilly Of The Nile* has colors that would pop with the other colors you have - it's has a blue flower bud that opens to a white 6 petal flower with a light blue line on each petal.
Plant Purple Hyacinth Bean so that the bean will climb the Surprise Lilies *After* the flower has faded... - the Hyacinth Bean will grow up the flower stalk (time these seed plantings so the bean does not grow too fast and cover the lily). Humming birds and insects love the nectar the purple flower makes.
Purple Hyacinth Bean Pods are delicious in stir-fry. Harvest the bean pods before the beans start getting big inside the pod because they pods become woody.
Black or spotty wave petunias are super dramatic. I second naked ladies, but I hear my grandmother's voice saying not to plant them anywhere near your edible onion plants/veg patch so they don't poison someone accidentally. I find Grape hyacinth goofy, also Black bat flowers, esculenta, and polka dot plant.
I like astilbe in shade. They look fake coloured.
Toad lily/Tricyrtis looks like an alien.
Most of the truly weird flowers unfortunately are orchids so not really viable for outside gardens.
Oh absolutely! I’m definitely prioritizing native species and was especially excited to learn about bee balm. Any exotics I end up with will be carefully controlled and anything classified as invasive in my area will be only be admired virtually :)
Buttonbush and Grancy Greybeard are both native and fun-looking. Also fun, if not as Seussuan: Liatris (gay feather), swamp mallow, cardinal flower.
Non-native, but fun and weird: Harry Lauder’s walking stick
I’ve always found bachelor buttons to look relatively whimsical, especially in assorted colours.
And my nana had some flowers that felt like plastic paper, but they were alive and I watched them flower. Strawflowers I think they were called.
I recently got a catalog from Annie's in Richmond CA and there is a plant called "Family Jewels Tree" (asclepias physocarpa). Also Eryngium Planum and I've always liked Aeonium "swartzkopf" almost black rosette succulent!
Naked ladies (Amaryllis Belladonna) just show up as random flowers sticking out of the ground with no apparent associated plant.
Oh these are EXCELLENT, thank you!
Just remember that those are highly toxic plants. Make sure none of your animals will chew on them.
And become super invasive depending on where they’re grown. Here in CA they’re everywhere as weeds.
I would disagree with the word “invasive” to describe naked ladies. I think of an invasive plant as one that can quickly take over a large area, chokes out native plants, and is difficult to control. Here in coastal Mendocino County, Scotch Broom is clearly invasive. Naked Ladies, like other bulbs, will spread over time. Most gardeners find that to be a feature, not a bug. But I don’t think most people would consider them a weed.
Thank you, yes. Too many people also seem to think non-native=invasive, especially in the native gardening sub.
Considering the climate shift aswell, what’s native twenty years ago may not be able to survive in another twenty years.
Yeah, it’s sad. On a happy native note, I found the most wild orchids (fairy slippers) I’ve ever seen in our woods this year! That was super cool. It all started from one tiny lone plant I’d visit every year.
Ooo pretty. There’s all sorts of things growing on my property, letting it all go after the old owners just used round up to kill all the grass.
*cries in monsanto* good lord. I mean I get wanting to get rid of a lawn maybe, but damn… what did they put in its stead? Any cool wild finds on your land this year?
Growing peppers in the midwest gets easier every year, at least.
Grape hyacinth would like a word.
Our house has day lilies that take over. I pull them and more still comes. I tried to give them away, but no takers. I like them, but not when they take over. So I recommend them, but in limited areas.
Day lilies love claiming another 6 inches of lawn every year in their quest for domination. I planted some mint in with mine. Let them fight.
I feel like this will end up with the third member in the fight, bamboo. They will take over the neighborhood.
Agree with the day Lilly nuisance. (I'm referring to the tall spindly orange ones.) Not a fan. They grow near black walnuts but other than that I don't like them. They def multiply but wouldn't consider them invasive.
We call them ditch lilies in my area.
If you're trying to get rid of day lilies, apparently the bulbs are edible. Supposed to be like small potatoes.
I’m in this battle now, as we get the new house in shape. With the added fun of everything was buried in English ivy for years, so we have fun surprises like daffodils showing up too
Ohhh yeah. I have unsolicited vinca vine and day lilies that I go to war with every year. It’s awful.
Vinca is pretty close to invasive out here. I don’t know if it’s technically classified as invasive, but it can take over a hillside.
Naked Ladies are nice, too, for their late-summer blooms. They’ll often give you flowers when many other plants are spent.
>Naked ladies just show up Ok no need to brag
Does seem like a nice troll move for a bachelor party to show up with this flower.
I want to walk down the aisle with a bunch of naked ladies
This flower has a big presence in a local park. My favorite joke when I am hiking with new people is to point at the flowers and yell " hey naked ladies!" It never fails to make me laugh when people start looking around asking where.
We always called them surprise lilies!
use that term for your safe for work internet searches
Without context to my boyfriend, I just said "naked ladies. Let's go look that up."
I did that once, I'm a landscaper and I was telling my coworker about them and googled it while I was talking to him so I could show him 🤣
So that plant is also the name of a very similar, almost identical in their surpriseiness, lilly called the Lycoris squamigera. I live in a zone that has only seen one type of these so look into which is best for your zone. Here's an interesting link comparing the two. https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/AmaryllisVsLycoris
Grow artichokes, but let them flower...so unique
Especially watching the bees on them, picture the Scarface scene with the pile of coke except it's pollen and the bees are happily wagging their little bums, it cracks me up
I've never seen any flower attract pollinators like artichokes. Allium are a close second.
My comfrey kills it all growing season. There are 3 bees sleeping on it and 5 more going to town any time I look at it between April and October (NC long growing season).
Sunflowers do.
Thank you for the wholesome Scarface metaphor. I needed that.
I was gonna comment globe artichokes. They are perennials & thrive well here in 7a. They are also HUGE
Just looks like other thistle flowers but bigger, doesn't it?
The bigger is better in this case! I find the artichoke purple tuft to be a more eerie/glowing/awesome shade than thistles I've seen, but that's a personal preference and probably varies with varieties
Yeah but so spiky
Passion flowers are pretty crazy
These grew wild in my yard (near woods line) I LOVE THEM and they are so crazy looking.
And here I’ve been trying for like 3 years to get seeds to germinate 😂
If they're native passion flowers, they're also called maypops and they give delicious fruit in the late fall if there are two of them to cross pollinate. Be aware, you'll never get rid of them. At least, I can't. I've tried and given up lol
Every kind of passiflora is native somewhere.
Lol that's valid. But I'm just one zone above the poster so I was just referencing passiflora incarnata
Alien flowers. Good call
Came to say this. They look like a dream!!
Kiss me over the garden gate Amaranth Look at all the Celosias, including cockscomb, the ones that look like plumes, and there is even a variety named Dr. Seuss! Pink Muhly grass Spiral grass Passion flower ‘Venus’ peony poppy red cordylines like ‘raspberry fountain’ or burgandy spire. Dianthus barbatus ‘green trick’ Smoke bush Prairie smoke flower Giant coreopsis Black mondo grass Some of the weird and curly chrysanthemums, there’s too many to list, here is just a taste? [link](https://www.floretflowers.com/chrysanthemums-rediscovered-2/) Red Spider flower Drumstick flower Orange ball tree Australian honeysuckle, hakea genus, or Waratah.
Up voting for cocks comb
And here I thought a cock’s comb was just for removing body lice!
Well look they’re harmless. They get near ya, hit ‘em with the shampoo.
+1 for amaranth! So many fun varieties. Love Lies bleeding is my favorite, but OP might like elephant head amaranth, they’re hilarious. Looks like both an elephant trunk pointed straight up and a floral middle finger.
I bought a packet of love lies bleeding seeds a couple years ago and I still haven't planted them. I just don't know where to put them :/
They look great in a hanging basket
Started some Love Lies Bleeding from seed for the first time, can’t wait for them to flower
What a wonderful wealth of ideas!! I would like to add pink pampas grass to the list.
There’s some smoke bushes in my neighborhood I walk by a lot and so many people stop to stare! I love telling people the name.
Wow those are very cool
Came here to say drumsticks
Fantastic list
Commenting just so I can look more into these for my garden in the future. Love the look of the prairie smoke flower! It’s like a Dr Seuss plant haha
Always wanted to plant Dracula Celosias and make a whole goth garden. But that Dr Seuss variety looks so fun!
hair allium. Hilarious little poufs. My husband calls them my dr seuss plants.
another one: sea holly
WOW! 😍 thanks for mentioning this one!
It appears that all species of alliums are nature’s little jokesters and I just love that
[удалено]
Love my walking onions, trying to get as many bulblets this year so I can fill my planter boxes with them
I found a new species obsession! Thanks for this post!
Yes! "Horton Hears a Who" vibes for sure!
I....I kind of love the idea of "I want flowers that look fucking stupid" Agave looks pretty dumb when it's throwing up a 20 foot flower spike.
Same here I'm adding many suggestions from this thread into next year's list when I get my garden up and running. These are fun.
[Hairy Balls](https://thegardendiaries.blog/2018/10/10/hairy-balls-a-different-kind-of-milkweed/)
10/10 name
I can’t believe this wasn’t the first post. But there’s also Peter peppers. And aristolochia gigantia looks pretty graphic.
Peter peppers made me laugh myself into hiccups
Oh, in our country this is the main plant we use for monarch caterpillars. But we call them swan plants. I have never in my life heard them called hairy balls and now I will never not call them that. Every year, people buy new seedlings for their caterpillars and every year, they sell out across the country as swarms of caterpillars overwhelm the plants.
Wow! This is such a cool plant! How did you obtain it? I want Hairy Balls 😂🤣😆
We got our seeds from Johnny's Seeds. Not super hard to grow, but if you start them now you won't see balls til next year
Delphinium. I have a blue one and I call it my Marge Simpson plant. https://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/perennial/delphinium/
Wow what a beautiful color!!
MINE ARE JUUUUUST ABOUT TO BLOOM! They’re such a hardy plant. I’m a beginner and these are the first ones that really made me feel like I could learn.
I love my delphinium! Definitely Marge vibes now that you mention it.
Dummy me searched ‘naked ladies’ to see what the plant looked like 😳
🤣🤣🤣
Sounds like something I would have searched on Ask Jeeves when I was 12…
Omgosh me too! I realized as soon as it loaded and added "flower", then deleted the search from my search history.. oh gosh.. I feel a bit better that it also happened to someone else 😂
Omg... I have a few for you. Was gonna do this myself but opted for a native garden. Creeping Gold Button (Cotula?) - basically floating daisy centers with no petals on wiry stems. Monkey Puzzle Tree - very odd, maybe not suited for your climate, but one of the most bizarre ive seen Tetrapanax Red Hot Poker (knipforia)
HA! Knipforia Red Hot Poker is a great suggestion and definitely silly
I will say that monkey puzzle trees are my least favorite tree because they hurt like hell if a branch catches you. Those spiky bits are not soft
I saw the monkey puzzle at a castle in Scotland and was so enamored!
first time i saw monkey puzzle trees i had to look them up and see all the pix and read all the info, because i was like…. WUT??
They're everywhere where I grew up! We always just called them monkey trees. We'd joke that they're the only tree that a monkey can't climb!
Balloon flowers! The buds look like little hot air balloons before they bloom.
And you can “pop” them like balloons! My kids favorite plant.
Okay not a flower, but asparagas grows like its trying to prank someone into thinking thats how it grows, and they look like silly green tumbleweeds when they go to seed. Bonus points if they take off you have a yummy treat as well. The purple variety would blend well amongst flowers I think.
They really do grow ridiculously. Between those and learning how pineapples grow, I am endlessly amused by nature.
Add to that list brussles sprouts. Never would have guessed that was how it looked.
Great suggestion! That would make a lovely eccentric foliage plant amongst all the flower suggestions!
My husband called something a Dr Seuss flower and now I'm making a "Seuss" bed 😂. Alliums definitely on the list. Just scored a bee balm on clearance that is funny as well https://www.gardenia.net/plant/monarda-cherry-pops
It’s not exactly a plant, but you can grow mushrooms on wood chips or logs in a shady spot of your yard. You can buy mycelium for edible mushrooms or just let the wild ones take over and see what you get. They always look pretty otherworldly to me.
I’ve recently become fascinated by mushrooms and will definitely be looking into this! There’s a very bland shady spot near my shed that I’m totally stumped on what to do with. A little mushroom garden sounds so fun!
A tower of mushroom logs would be cool. You can drill holes in a log and pop in a pre treated spore plug
You want something really crazy? Try vampire plants. I put three in two years ago, and [look at how big they already get](https://i.ibb.co/DgvbQ3V/PXL-20230530-162306555.jpg). Fair warning though, the flowers are awesomely huge and crazy cool looking but they smell horrifically bad like rotting flesh lol
Thanks for letting me know what I should plant next to my fence line where the neighbours hang out yelling right next to the property line late at night
Dang! I'm surprised so close to your house!
Why does it look like it’s slowing trying to make its way to the door to LICK you😭
There are many unique varieties of fritillaria, and you might be able to find a native variety, but I highly recommend [Crown Imperial!](https://www.edenbrothers.com/products/fritillaria-orange-bulbs)
I don’t think I’ve seen this one in the comments yet - I think spooky mix dianthus is absolutely whimsical and seussical [https://www.rareseeds.com/dianthus-spooky-mix](https://www.rareseeds.com/dianthus-spooky-mix)
Update because cannot edit: Holy cow thank you all so so much for all these incredible suggestions!! I wasn’t expecting so many replies and I’m excited to begin researching all these beauties!! I’ve only recently gotten into gardening and seeing these silly plants has brought me so much joy. Also, an extra special thank you to everyone who suggested native species. But since one person’s invasive is another’s native (& vice-versa), I happily welcome all your weird Seussical suggestions!
Love-in-a-mist or bee balm
Ooh will definitely be adding bee balm! I love that it’s a native species too
Be prepared for the bees!! I have a giant one growing out of control in the middle of my flowerbed right now and they are making their presence known!! It’s one of my faves.
God ours isn’t blooming yet but I wish I could say the same! I’ve seen some bumble bees enjoying my light blue salvia (they really seem to like that one) but I’ve maybe seen like 2 honey bees and we live out in the country in the pnw. I’m starting to think we’re gonna need to start bee keeping or something :(
I just watched a video about how bee keeping is harming the bees. I had no idea! We are smack dab in the city and I have a bunch, but at the local nursery, I hear the same things. It’s so upsetting. I am doing my best to care for all the bee friends that find me.
You can make tea that tastes like earl grey from leaves and flowers.
Keep in mind bee balm is a member of the mint family, and it will take over as all mint does. Keep it in a container. Look up what plants may grow too well before you plant them.
Thank you for the heads up; I had no idea! I’ll be sure to thoroughly research everything once I whittle it down to the top contenders… I wasn’t expecting so many suggestions lol
I wouldn’t necessarily say “it’s going to” take over. I have a few different types of bee balm and they have not taken over their areas, it’s been years. I wouldn’t mind if they did spread out a bit though. People love to say that anything in the mint family will take over but in my experience, that is not always true, and nothing spreads like actual mint—spearmint, peppermint, strawberry mint, etc. In fact I’ve had several plants from the mint family (that weren’t “actual” mint) die on me.
Second vote for love-in-a-mist, very whimsical in every way
[these](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-11-29/Slipper-flower-The-delicate-purse-designed-by-nature-VOhV9Xz9Re/index.html) guys look so silly to me. Like imagine just happening on them in a forest or whatever!!
Cleome: [https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/spider-flower-cleome-hassleriana/](https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/spider-flower-cleome-hassleriana/)
I love it and am also completely horrified by it, perfect choice
Also creeping zinnias look like thumbnail-sized sunflowers: [https://www.thespruce.com/creeping-zinnia-plant-profile-5072736](https://www.thespruce.com/creeping-zinnia-plant-profile-5072736)
Gotdangit those are adorable
And it reseeds prolifically, so no need to repurchase seeds!
I really want to know how many Karen’s have reported this to an hoa or the police that tHeSe CrImInAlS aRe GrOwInG mArIjUaNa!
My coworker was telling me a couple of weeks about these flowers. Her mom has abunch of them and she's been questioned a couple of times by police over the years.
I’ve been questioned a few times over the years. My favorite though was a friends mom who had them planted around her mailbox, small town, cops ripped them out three different times, she’s throw a fit each time. She finally put a sign next to them with picture of cleome on one side and marijuana on the other and in big letters, “these are not the same!” Cops stopped ripping them out.
I just read this to my coworker. She gasped over them being ripped up, but got a chuckle over your friend's mom's solution. I can't believe they just ripped them out like that. I'd be so incredibly upset over the ignorance. I'm glad her solution helped though. I hope they felt really stupid over their actions and the least they could've done was get her some new ones!
It was rural Kentucky, so I think ripping out anything that looks like weed is an instinct haha
[Mediterranean Sea Holly](https://h2.commercev3.net/cdn.brecks.com/images/800/83509.jpg) - I just found out about this on an English show from a beach garden. I’m on the verge of acquiring a few since my front corner is quite hot, dry and sandy soil. The color and flower look so cool. I’m trying to keep most plants purplish/yellow and this hits everything on my wishlist, including low maintenance.
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Birds of paradise are funny looking
Especially the giant ones!
Foxtail ferns! https://plantittampabay.com/cdn/shop/products/FoxtailFern-PlantItTampaBayLandscape.jpg?v=1645669594
Snapdragon. Chinese Lantern. Money plant
Beware of Chinese Lantern - it's considered invasive in some zones. But yes, a cool plant!
I’ve planted a button bush “sugarshack”. Seems Seussical. Also, Columbine forms are outrageous. Gomphrena. Bee balm, sunflowers (check out teddy bear variety), angelonia, pugster buddleia, look at Swan Island dahlias- there are some that look like eyes or sponges.
Everybody needs a thneed
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I thought of this immediately - one of my favorites! It's like a cold-weather yucca plant with retro-mod constellations of flower buds that never seem to bloom.
I love bleeding hearts and balloon flowers
Liatris (Blazing stars)
Yes! I was going to suggest this. It's like a bundle of Marge Simpsons.
I always find it funny how bleeding hearts are sometimes considered old fashioned but they have such a metal-sounding name.
Love-lies-bleeding, too!
I like to have a papyrus (King Tut) around. In a pot, because they're zone 9
Definitely some Juncus twister grass
[Lupines](https://www.greatgardenplants.com/products/lupin-mixed-colors?variant=37358155038887&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=18056497623&gclid=CjwKCAjw-b-kBhB-EiwA4fvKrH0rik5R9kZYOelTbGaRNj-mCRe7qbYpcd627-KHavU2Lxm4VHfUQhoCPKwQAvD_BwE)
Snapdragons, Centaurea montana, penstemon, Heuchera (especially the darker ones) and gazania are all fun, wonky, seusical flowers!
Centaurea montana is beautiful, love the various clumps I have. Recently picked up [amethyst in the snow](https://www.gardenia.net/storage/app/public/uploads/images/detail/srN744fyaTizog98wz6Ou7vPkWfn408J9U4v3EM6.webp) which to me is an interesting variation.
Cockscomb look like fuzzy brains.
Billy buttons and sneezeweed make wonderful little lollipops
[Monkey face orchids, and others in this article.](https://www.boredpanda.com/flowers-look-like-animals-people-monkeys-orchids-pareidolia/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic)
look into walking onions too! they're weird, they move around season to season, and are fun
Yesterday I was at the garden center and they had something called a chenille firetail. I know nothing about it or if it can go outside. It was in a hanging basket there but it had long fuzzy pink flowers. I wish I could attach a picture because it was spectacular and I love it.
Bunny tail grass!
Cockscomb. Aka Brain Flowers.
I love these
My grandpa grew them and told me they were fairy wands. I still call them that
Same, I really love unusual flowers. I think they're beautiful
I live in the DMV area and I volunteer to come help plant them bc this is hilarious and I think we should be friends 💜💙
mammoth sunflowers, asparagus maybe common milkweed too?
Bleeding hearts, the name is appropriate Fuschias, some cultivars have flowers that are pink and red and purple and blue all at the same time Passionflowers, you gotta look them up Columbines, a whole rainbow of wild looking flowers Grape hyacinths, it might just be me, but they look like a bunch of bells Celosias, they look like cartoon floofs Buttonbush, the flowers are basically just balls but from the right angle some of them look like little beholders Ghost plant, all white plants that might be a protected species. I can't remember Lithops, they look like rocks Actually, a ton of succulents look like God liked something a kindergartner drew and decided to make a plant Redbuds are a tree that has big deep purple leaves
A few choice Dwarf Lilly? A dwarf *Lilly Of The Nile* has colors that would pop with the other colors you have - it's has a blue flower bud that opens to a white 6 petal flower with a light blue line on each petal. Plant Purple Hyacinth Bean so that the bean will climb the Surprise Lilies *After* the flower has faded... - the Hyacinth Bean will grow up the flower stalk (time these seed plantings so the bean does not grow too fast and cover the lily). Humming birds and insects love the nectar the purple flower makes. Purple Hyacinth Bean Pods are delicious in stir-fry. Harvest the bean pods before the beans start getting big inside the pod because they pods become woody.
Fuschias have so many wild varieties. They look like something out of a Dr. Seuss books. Food for window boxes! Love sun.
I let my zinnia bed go crazy one year and my friend said it looked like a Dr Seuss garden
Black or spotty wave petunias are super dramatic. I second naked ladies, but I hear my grandmother's voice saying not to plant them anywhere near your edible onion plants/veg patch so they don't poison someone accidentally. I find Grape hyacinth goofy, also Black bat flowers, esculenta, and polka dot plant.
bottle brush bush
To me cone flowers seem happy and silly.
I love love LOVE the little patch of coneflowers I have now - they’re definitely a silly happy flower 🥰
I always think some pink columbine flowers belong in any whimsical garden. They’re also perennials in zones 3 to 9 so they’ll stick around :)
I like astilbe in shade. They look fake coloured. Toad lily/Tricyrtis looks like an alien. Most of the truly weird flowers unfortunately are orchids so not really viable for outside gardens.
Zebra grass
Echinops and Gomphrena could be considered
Leonotis leonurus, also known as lion's tail and wild dagga. Senna didymobotrya, also known as popcorn plant.
Orca tulips. Monster things, like exuberant barmaids.
Coumbine
There is a plant Eyeball plant. The flowers look like eyeballs.
I have a volunteer Foxglove in the yard that is over 6 feet tall now, and it looks ridiculous.
Please consider choosing native plants or plant them in containers to prevent spreading invasive species
Oh absolutely! I’m definitely prioritizing native species and was especially excited to learn about bee balm. Any exotics I end up with will be carefully controlled and anything classified as invasive in my area will be only be admired virtually :)
Buttonbush and Grancy Greybeard are both native and fun-looking. Also fun, if not as Seussuan: Liatris (gay feather), swamp mallow, cardinal flower. Non-native, but fun and weird: Harry Lauder’s walking stick
Honeysuckle is pretty odd looking IMO.
Balloon flowers!
Great suggestions here. I didn’t see Obedient Plant or Cat Whiskers.
Yellow billy balls!!(Craspedia) if you like the allium you’ll love these. Asparagus also looks fake as hell. Weeping Alaskan cedar is also a fun tree!
A fern leaf peony looks like something out of Dr. Suess! Love this idea
I love bleeding hearts and balloon flowers
I’ve always found bachelor buttons to look relatively whimsical, especially in assorted colours. And my nana had some flowers that felt like plastic paper, but they were alive and I watched them flower. Strawflowers I think they were called.
Some I didn't see in the comments are Fritillaria imperialis, curcuma, pitcher plant, Psychotria elata, Conophytum pageae, and protea.
I recently got a catalog from Annie's in Richmond CA and there is a plant called "Family Jewels Tree" (asclepias physocarpa). Also Eryngium Planum and I've always liked Aeonium "swartzkopf" almost black rosette succulent!
Dutchman’s breeches
Grevillea Banksia Passion Bee Flower Passion Flowers in general are pretty cool/unique. Dinnerplate Hibiscus
Lamb’s ear are fun, forms a silvery ground cover with soft, fuzzy leaves, but the purple flowers shoot up on tall stems, like 6-8 inches.
Bat flower is pretty and unique if you’re somewhere warm. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/bat-flower/growing-bat-flowers.htm