One of the world’s rarest botanical sights – and scents – will soon once again be on show, if only for a day.
The Huntington Botanical Gardens in California has announced its titan arum will soon be in full bloom.
The plant, native to Sumatra in Indonesia and nicknamed “corpse flower”, can grow to more than 3.5 metres tall, and blooms for about 24 hours every two to three years.
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And if visitors to the gardens on the day its flower opens are unsure where it is, they can just follow their noses.
“Corpse flower” isn’t just a morbid nickname – the plant’s scent when in bloom mimics the smell of rotting meat to attract pollinators.
This phenomenon tends to make the plants the star attraction at botanic gardens around the world, particularly when in bloom, with hundreds lining up to catch a glimpse – and sniff.
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The Huntington Gardens have their titan arum “on view” until July 23, suggesting the plant is expected to bloom on about July 22, though no exact forecast has been given.
The plant has been growing rapidly in recent days, from 1.4 metres on July 10 to two metres on July 18.
At its peak, it can grow 15cm or more in a day.
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For those unable to nip to California to have a look for themselves, the Huntington has a livestream on Youtube, with the soon-to-bloom plant alongside one that is in its fruiting stage.
Corpse flowers are also kept at a number of botanic gardens in Australia, with one recent blooming event in Adelaide last January.
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