Ventnor Botanic Garden says it thinks it has broken a UK record after a dozen "rare and exotic" plants came into bloom on its grounds.
Although, Islanders will not have long to see the 'Giant Puya Plants', as they will die within two weeks now that they have flowered.
10 of the South American species have bloomed in the gardens, something Curator Chris Kidd says has never happened before.
He has put "the moment of great beauty" down to a mild yet wet winter. He says it is a clear indication of climate change.
The spines on the plant are described as "savage and vicious" and gardeners have had to wear extra gauntlet protection to avoid being "cut to pieces".
In the wild, animals can become trapped and entangled in their spines. When they die and decompose, they provide fertilising nutrients for the plant through the soil.
The rare plants flower for two weeks and then die. A spokesperson for Ventnor Botanical Garden said:
"For horticulturists it is a moment of great beauty tinged with even greater sadness. An exotic plant that flowers once in its lifetime before dying, is now in bloom.
"The bright colour combination of the Puya is extremely rare to see in the plant world and is never seen on a plant native to the UK."
Ventnor Botanic Garden is open daily, with social distancing measures in place.
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