The World's Sexiest Plants
Emily Ellis
Plants have a way of putting us in the mood. There is a reason why a proper romantic tryst isn’t complete without a few scattered rose petals: whether it’s their physiological effects on our libidos, their uncanny resemblance to certain parts of our anatomy, or their deeply embedded culture symbolism, plants have long been intertwined with humanity’s ideas of love and sex.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day - a holiday strewn with red and pink-hued flora - we are listing ten of the sexiest plants we could think of. Some are easily recognizable symbols of modern love, some a little more obscure, and some are sexy only to their pollinators, but we think they all have a certain allure. Scroll down to learn more.
Bee Orchids (Ophrys apifera)
Image credit: Bernard Dupont, via Wikimedia Commons
Members of the Orchidaceae family are pretty sexy in general: their name comes from the Latin word for testicle (take a look at their roots to see why,) and the petal structure of some - including the aptly named naked man orchid - is more than a little suggestive. But perhaps no species is more seductive than the bee orchid, which mimics the scent and appearance of a velvety female bee in order lure lovesick males onto its petals. The misguided suitor then attempts to mate with the flower’s lip, resulting in a pollinated orchid - and a frustrated insect.
Despite their appearance, bee orchids don’t rely solely on the affections of male bees for pollination: they are one of many orchid species that have evolved to self-pollinate - and what could be sexier than self-love?
Silphium
Silphium was probably similar in apperance to the extant plant giant fennel Ferula communis, seen here from an illustration in Curtis's Botanical Magazine, housed at Kew Gardens, via Biodiversity Heritage Library
Ever wondered about the origins of the ubiquitous heart symbol, so different in appearance from the actual organ? While some say the symbol is based on ivy leaves, symbolic of fidelity, others relate it to the seedpod of silphium - an early form of contraception. Ancient Greek and Roman texts herald silphium as an effective contraceptive, aphrodisiac, and a symbol of love and sexuality. The plant was so popular it was harvested to extinction by the first century A.D. Cyrene, an Ancient Greek and later Roman city situated in present day Libya, grew wealthy from the silphium trade. In homage, they put a symbol of the seedpod on their coins, which very closely resembles our heart pictogram.
The exact botanical identity of silphium is unknown, but it was likely a member of the carrot family (Apiaceae). Even though present-day lovers can’t spice up their Valentine’s Day with the fascinating plant, its romantic legacy lives on in the many heart-shaped objects that pop up every February.
Cacao Tree (Theobroma cacao)
“The Coco Nut Tree” from A Curious Herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell (1739)
Chocolate is the food of choice for lovebirds for a reason: its combination of rich, complex flavors, aromas, and melting textures has a definite sensual quality, and the caffeine and other chemicals present in sweets with high cacao contents can perk up a variety of activities.
Despite cacao’s long standing reputation as an aphrodisiac - likely first discovered by the Aztecs, who would sometimes use it to fuel romantic endeavors - modern studies have revealed no firm link between the bean and sexual arousal. That’s not saying that consuming cacao products won’t make you feel good: the plant does contain small amounts of tryptophan and phenylethylamine, chemicals which are associated with feelings of happiness and falling in love.
While there is no scientific evidence that cacao has any biological aphrodisiac qualities, its cultural association with love and sex - to say nothing of the fact that it’s delicious - can still help to put you in the mood, so don’t skimp on the chocolates this Valentine’s Day!
Panax Ginseng
“American Ginseng,” from Medical Flora by Samuel. Ratinesque (1828-30.) From An Oak Spring Herbaria.
Historically, people have turned to plants that resemble naked people or genitalia in order to give their libidos a little help (not always with the desired result.) Based on several studies, our ancestors may have been on to something when it comes to ginseng, which loosely translates to “man root” in Hokkien Chinese. Panax or Asian ginseng - which is native to Eastern Asia - may be helpful in treating erectile dysfunction in men and has improved arousal in post-menopausal women, likely due in part to the root’s effects on nitric oxide levels, which dilate blood vessels. Aphrodisiac qualities aside, researchers believe ginseng’s potent antioxidant properties have other health benefits as well.
Interesting though these findings are, OSGF recommends consulting with a doctor before turning to any herb for a boost in the bedroom.
Hooker’s Lips(Psychotria elata)
Photo Credit: When on Earth, via Wikimedia Commons
It’s pretty clear how this tropical plant got its name. Much like the lipstick-painted anatomy it resembles, the bright, shiny color of Hooker’s Lips’ bracts (a type of specialized leaf) serve as an attractant for potential romantic partners; in this case, pollinating butterflies and hummingbirds. The distinctive pouty shape forms before the plant fully blooms, concealing small white flowers within.
A popular Valentine’s Day gift in its native South and Central America, wild populations of this unusual plant are in decline due to large scale deforestation of its rainforest habitat.
horny Goat weed (Epimedium)
Photo Credit: David Stang, via Wikimedia Commons
Horny goat weed (and yes, it’s named for its observed effects on livestock in its native China,) could be as effective as viagra when it comes to treating erectile dysfunction, according to Italian researchers. The weed (whose less-naughty names include Bishop’s Hat and Fairy Wings) contains a compound called icariin, which helps to control blood flow to the penis. Other compounds in the plant, like flavonols, have feel-good effects and other health benefits that can contribute to an increased sexual appetite.
Already a popular aphrodisiac in Asia, the herb has only attracted attention in the west in recent years, following several studies on mice. However, it’s best to talk to a medical professional before stocking up on the titillating plant - ingesting herbs with such an interesting variety of compounds can sometimes have unintended effects!
Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum)
Photo credit: Sailing Moose, via Wikimedia Commons
Before you point out that there is nothing sexy about a plant whose name translates to “giant misshapen penis” and smells like rotting meat, hear us out. The bizarre, beautiful “corpse flower,” which can grow over 8 feet in height, is one of the world’s strangest - and dare we say, alluring - plants. Endemic to Sumatra, the titan arum blooms, on average, once every six years, revealing a long stem called a spadix that is clustered in tiny flowers. Scientists have also observed the giant plant pumping hot, steamy clouds of stench into the night sky in order to better attract the carrion-eating insects that pollinate it.
Since the titan arum only blooms for about 48 hours, botanical gardens and conservatories where the flower is housed tend to stay open late so that visitors have a chance to come and see the giant, steamy spadix reveal itself. Sounds like a hot date to us!
Rose
Roses growing in OSGF’s formal garden.
Appearing in Shakespearean tragedies, popular modern films, and tattoos on the biceps of the love-struck, no flower has come to represent love and sex more than the rose. The plant’s symmetrical beauty, variety of colors, and sweet scent - along with the fact that they are a hardy species native to several continents - means that the roses lend themselves well to a wide array of cultural symbols.
In Western culture, the rose’s connection with love likely first took root in ancient Greece, after the flowers were linked to the goddess Aphrodite in legends; thousands of years later, lovebirds in the U.S. alone are still spending billions of dollars every Valentine’s Day on red roses and other tokens of affection. And who can blame them? Whether it’s purchased from a gas station or a high-end florist, giving your significant other a rose is one of the most ancient and universal ways of saying, “I love you.”
Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa)
“La Tubereuse et la Jonquille” from Les Fleurs Animees by J.J. Grandville (1847)
If you really want to send a sultry message to your honey this Valentine’s Day, skip the traditional red roses and send them a bouquet of tuberose instead (and maybe a copy of Charlotte de La Tour’s The Language of Flowers, if they’re not familiar with Victorian-era floriography.)
In an age that was less-than-open about human sexuality, communicating with flowers was a fashionable way to express what society dictated couldn’t be said out loud - and a carefully arranged bouquet could be just as blush-inducing than one of today’s “sext” messages. According to de La Tour’s dictionary, tuberose - which is not actually a member of the rose family, but gets its name from the Latin word tuberosa, or swollen (so make of that what you will) - means “dangerous pleasures.” The connotation comes from the flower’s heady, seductive scent, used in many perfumes, and the fact that it can make you quite sick if ingested. Although de La Tour writes that the “divine flower . . . will pour into your bosom a deadly poison,” it’s worth noting that tuberose is only ranked a toxicity class 2 - far less risky than the dangerous acts of passion it represents.
Tulip
Tulips growing in OSGF’s formal garden
Want to declare your burning desire for someone without, you know, actually declaring it? According to Charlotte de La Tour, you’d better get your hands on some tulips - a plant that carries the message “declaration of love,” and “(presents) the idea that, like that flower, (a lover) has a face all on fire and a heart reduced to coal.”
Aside from the reddish hues of many tulip varieties, the flower’s allure in the Victorian era likely had to do with the craze that sprung up around them in 17th century Europe: although the flowers had already been cultivated for hundreds of years in what was then the Persian Empire, they didn’t arrive in Western Europe until the 1600s - so coveted and valuable that they may have played a part in crashing the Dutch economy. Now that’s a seductive plant!
Want to learn more about plants that are, well, kind of sexy? Check out this 2017 blogpost on the fascinating ginkgo tree’s curious sexual characteristics.
Special thanks to Head Librarian Tony Willis and Assistant Librarian Kimberly Fischer for their help with this blogpost