10 Flowers and Plants That Look Exactly Like Animals

Monkey Orchids

The Dracula simia, which translates to "little dragon monkey" is found in tropical highland forests. While the center of the flower may be a dead ringer for our ancestral cousins, the vampire reference is a shout-out to the two long sepals (the part of a flower that encloses the developing bud) located at the base of the petals.

The fragrance this flower emits is sweeter than its name would imply: When this particular species of orchid blooms, it gives off a scent of ripe oranges.

Dolphin Succulents

The unique succulent Monilaria obconica is a hybrid of a candle plant and a string-of-pearls vine. The result is a plant that sprouts adorable leaves off its stems, each shaped like a crescent moon with a "fin" protruding from it.

White Egret Orchids

If you thought egrets were graceful, you'll love Habenaria radiata, or the "white egret flower." The delicate, fringed flower has petals that spread out like wings in flight, flanked by small green leaves. The resemblance is uncanny: Squint a little bit and you would swear you're looking at a swoop of cranes mid-flap.

Parrot Flowers

Impatiens psittacina's resemblance to its flighty friend is undeniable. You'll know you've spotted a parrot flower when you notice reddish-purple petals with a single apex. The flower's lower sepal makes up the beak, a small hook that is light green in color.

Bee Orchids

The bee orchid—scientifically known as Ophrys apifera—is a sweet-smelling bloom with a clever little trick. That it looks so much like a bumblebee is no mistake: The flower attracts pollinators by bringing in male bees hoping to mate with the "bees" already on the flowers.

Flying Duck Orchids

When Caleana major, native to Australia, blooms between September and February, it produces petals that come together to mimic the shape of a duck in flight.

Dove Orchids

Take a closer look, as this flower's natural mimicry is easy to miss. Hidden inside the bloom of the Peristeria elata, you'll find a structure that resembles a white dove in flight. At peak bloom, the bulb can grow between four and 20 petals, which surround a second, inner petal formation that gives this orchid its name.

Rabbit Succulents

These adorable plants—scientifically named Monilaria obconica—are native to South Africa, and they're described as drought-induced deciduous plants. When the succulents sprout, they grow two little stems that look just like a pair of rabbit ears, and as they grow, the "ears" get longer.

Grim Reaper Flower

For Aristolochia salvador platensis, sinister floral features are key to the plant's survival: The cavernous "eyes" of the skull and powerful aroma combine to attract insect pollinators. Once drawn in, insects fly through these "eyes," which are lined with sticky hairs that help to cover them with pollen.

Hummingbird Flower

Also known as the green bird flower, Crotalaria cunninghamii can grow up to 9 feet tall. Many associate the plant's unique flowers with the hummingbird, since they're shaped like one of the small birds in flight—there's even a beak-shaped stem at the flower's base. This plant grows wild throughout the northern half of Australia, according to the Australian Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, and usually blooms between January and April.