1. is ok as a sentence. 2. Do you mean "leaders blinking like a Xanthic flower" is something that almost never happens or that it is special when they do? It might be better with a comma if you mean it is special - Very rarely, some leaders blink like a xanthic flower. I have no idea what the use of Xanthic flower is supposed to mean.

The use of "xanthic flower" is very rare. The syntax in the first is acceptable, but very few people would know the reference unless they looked up the phrase. The second sentence has additional problems. I would change the first part if I knew how you wanted to compare the flower to the blinking habits of a leader.