As autumn comes upon us I am starting to see more and more leaves on the ground. Sure, some of them look amazing with the bright reds and autumnal browns, but none of the fallen leaves I see on the ground is going to compare to those you are about to see. These are ten of the worlds most amazing and unusual leaves and some of them look like they have come from an alien planet…
Hardy tapioca Leaves
These leaves look like they belong on a sheld rather than a plant. While it is not the most colourful leaf we will see on this list its shape is certainly very unusual. For those who want to know the Hardy tapioca has foliage like a Schefflera and the flowers are subtle but stylish.
Giant Rhubarb Leaves
Here in the UK we grow a lot of Rhubarb with most people having at least one Rhubarb plant in their gardens, so I know the leaves can grow quite big. But this is the leaves of the Giant Rhubarb plant (Gunnera manicata) and they can grow up to 2 metres wide and 4 metres long!
Jewel Orchid Leaves
Many of us would have grown an Orchid in the house and I have one right next to me in a pot as I type this, but this is no ordinary Orchid. These are the rather amazing leaves of the Ludisia Jewel Orchid and they look like they belong in the sci-fi film Avatar!
Lithops Leaves
Do you see those brain-like structures underneath the flower and on the rest of those brain-like structures? Those are several bulbous sets of leaves that fused together to look like a human brain cut in half! They are also known as living stones due to how they look when they are not flowering.
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Begonia Leaves
While it looks weird and something you would only see in a jungle this is a Begonia plant and millions of people have them in their homes as they are one of the easiest plants to look after and grow. While it is not the prettiest plant you can grow its foliage certainly makes it stand out.
Victoria Amazonica Leaves
This is the plant with the worlds largest leaves and it is part of the water lily family Nymphaeaceae. The largest ever measured is 9 meters round, but they are though to grow much larger in the wild. It’s not something you want growing in your garden pond that is for sure.
Begonia ‘Escargot’ Leaves
There are many examples of spirals in nature, but none are more impressive than the leaves of the begonia ‘Escargot’. When new they look like something you would only read about in a book, but they can be grown almost anywhere.
Coleus Leaves
Often known as a succulent the leaves of the Coleus come in many shades and colours, but they always look amazing all year round even when they are almost dead. Each leaf looks like it has its own fingerprint and it is sure to add colour to anyone’s garden.
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Geranium Leaves
With a burst of colour going outwards this leaf looks like it has all the colours of the four seasons on one leaf! Geranium leaves to have a massive variation in both colour and shapes, so growing them is often a little surprise as to which type you will end up with.
Roosegaarde’s specimen Leaves
Don’t expect to see rows of trees with glowing leaves any time soon, but it is a real plant. It has been genetically grown by a Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde who one day sees his creation being used to light roads and pathways thus saving pollution from energy creation and the plant itself cleaning the air. It’s a crazy idea for sure, but one I would love to see come true.