The most expensive flower in the world is the Juliet Rose, which cost its breeder about $5 million to develop, while the Kadupul is called priceless because it cannot be bought. This ranking covers 10 flowers by price, breeding cost or reported value, as of October 2026. It mixes flowers that sold for huge sums with ones that are simply costly in a florist’s shop, so each entry says which kind of number it uses.
| Rank | Flower | Price or value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kadupul Flower | priceless |
| 2 | Juliet Rose | about $5 million (cost to develop) |
| 3 | Shenzhen Nongke Orchid | over $200,000 |
| 4 | Semper Augustus tulip | 10,000 guilders (about 130,000 euros today) |
| 5 | Rothschild’s Orchid | up to $5,000 each |
| 6 | Saffron Crocus | $500 to $5,000 a pound (as spice) |
| 7 | Lily of the Valley | about $15 to $50 a bundle |
| 8 | Hydrangea | about $6.50 to $10 a stem |
| 9 | Gloriosa Lily | about $5 to $10 a flower |
| 10 | Lisianthus | about $10 to $35 a bundle |
1. Kadupul Flower: priceless
Kadupul is the Sinhala name for a night-blooming flower from Sri Lanka, often identified with Epiphyllum oxypetalum. It opens after dark and wilts before dawn, so it has no shelf life.
In Japan it is known as Gekka Bijin, or beauty under the moon. Nobody sells it, which is why the price tag says priceless.
The entry has no price because there is no market for it, only a reputation.
2. Juliet Rose: about $5 million (cost to develop)
David Austin spent roughly 15 years breeding this apricot-coloured rosette rose. It debuted in 2006 and the development bill is reportedly about $5 million, which is why it is billed as the most expensive rose ever bred.
It has good disease resistance and a fresh scent with a lemon note. Cut bouquets today sell for far less than the development cost.
The number is the reported development cost, not the sale price of a single flower.
3. Shenzhen Nongke Orchid: over $200,000
A group of agricultural researchers in Shenzhen reportedly spent years developing this cloned orchid. It was reportedly sold at auction in 2005 to an anonymous bidder for 1.68 million yuan.
That makes it the most expensive flower bought at auction. It is said to bloom only rarely.
We converted the 1.68 million yuan hammer price at the exchange rate then in force.
4. Semper Augustus tulip: 10,000 guilders (about 130,000 euros today)
During the Dutch tulip mania of 1636 and 1637, this flame-streaked white tulip was the most prized bulb. At its peak it sold for 10,000 guilders, which is roughly 130,000 euros in current money.
The streaks came from a virus, not breeding. Economic historians now dispute how many people were ruined when the market collapsed in February 1637.
The figure is the peak guilder price, adjusted by the modern conversion cited by economic historians.
5. Rothschild’s Orchid: up to $5,000 each
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum, also called the Gold of Kinabalu, grows only on Mount Kinabalu in Borneo. It was thought extinct until two populations turned up in 1959.
Poaching has pushed it to critically endangered status. Single plants reportedly fetch as much as $5,000, and a cultivated seedling takes four to five years to flower.
The price is the reported ceiling for a single plant.
6. Saffron Crocus: $500 to $5,000 a pound (as spice)
Saffron is the dried stigma of the purple Crocus sativus. About 70,000 flowers are needed for one pound, all picked by hand.
Iran grows about 90 percent of the world’s supply. Depending on grade, the spice sells for roughly $500 up to $5,000 per pound.
We used the price range reported for dried saffron, which is the actual product.
7. Lily of the Valley: about $15 to $50 a bundle
Prized for its scent and tiny white bells, it is poisonous if eaten. Prices swing with the season and the short bloom period.
A bundle from a florist ranges from about $15 to $50.
These are florist prices and vary by season and region.
8. Hydrangea: about $6.50 to $10 a stem
Large cluster blooms wilt fast once cut, which pushes the price up. Florists sell them by the stem for roughly $6.50 to $10 depending on the type.
They come as pom-pom or lacecap heads.
The range is a retail estimate, not a verified current price.
9. Gloriosa Lily: about $5 to $10 a flower
Also called flame lily, it climbs by tendrils and shifts color from tip to center. It is poisonous because it contains colchicine.
Cut stems sell for roughly $5 to $10.
This is a retail range from florists.
10. Lisianthus: about $10 to $35 a bundle
Lisianthus, known botanically as Eustoma, comes in white, blue, purple and pink and lasts up to three weeks after cutting.
It is a long-lasting cut flower, which supports a bundle price of roughly $10 to $35.
We list the retail bundle price range as a rough guide.
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What is the most expensive flower in the world?
The Juliet Rose, bred by David Austin over about 15 years and reported at $5 million to develop. The Shenzhen Nongke Orchid is the priciest flower sold at auction, at over $200,000.
Which flower is called priceless?
The Kadupul. It blooms at night and wilts before dawn, so it cannot be sold.
How much is the Rothschild’s Orchid?
Plants reportedly sell for up to $5,000 each.
Is saffron a flower?
Saffron is the dried stigma of the saffron crocus. It takes about 70,000 flowers to make a pound.
What changed in this update?
We replaced old time words with years, corrected the Rothschild’s Orchid facts, and added figures for Semper Augustus and saffron.
Why are some flowers so costly?
Rarity, years of breeding, short bloom times or hand harvesting.
How we put this list together
We compare auction results, reported development costs, historical prices and current florist prices, and say in each entry which kind of number we used. Flowers with no market price are listed as priceless instead of guessed.
Last updated: October 2026.
