The most rank flower ever has come and gone at Kew Gardens in London. Known as the Corpse Flower, the Titan Arum particular flower stands at three meters tall and blooms every two to three years on average.
People who are lucky enough to catch this bloom report that it reeks of rotting flesh, hence the name.
Here at last – the Titan Arum or 'corpse flower' has bloomed in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. Its 3m tall and it's tuber weighs 118kg – our biggest yet! It has one of the foulest odours in the plant kingdom (which attracts pollinators), but will only last for 48 hours… pic.twitter.com/rPjzIqYtBq
— Kew Gardens (@kewgardens) October 10, 2018
It only blooms for 48 hours, which has arborists and flower aficionados clambering to see it. Of course, there are signs that it will bloom, which gives people time to accommodate travel plans.
This flower is so talked about because of it’s rare bloom times and foul odor that it emits once it finally does bloom. It takes seven to ten years for it to bloom for the first time, and then blooms between two and ten years. Some only bloom once. In more rare instances, some bloom every year.
Amazing flowering today! Amorphophallus titanum @kewgardens pic.twitter.com/cN8ziCIphb
— Natalà Biologist (@NataliBiologist) October 10, 2018
It’s always exciting when a Corpse Flower blooms due to its rarity and notorious smell. One of the last notable times was the Corpse Flower located in the Bronx, which brought interested New Yorkers and lucky travelers to the area.
The real question is: Is it really worth assaulting your senses just to experience it? Maybe it is something that you’ll have to check out for yourself!