A rare and infamous flower, known for its foul stench resembling rotting flesh, has blossomed in Australia’s capital. This marks the third extraordinary blooming of the corpse flower in the country within the past three months.
The giant plant, scientifically named Amorphophallus titanum, bloomed for the first time in its 15-year existence at Canberra’s Australian National Botanic Gardens, the spectacular event, which began on Saturday, left visitors in awe before the flower started closing by Monday.
This recent flowering follows similar events in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens in late January and Geelong Botanic Gardens southwest of Melbourne in November, each occurrence drew thousands of curious visitors eager to witness and smell the rare bloom.
The corpse flower is famous for its putrid aroma, often compared to decaying animals and garbage. Despite its offensive scent, the plant remains a fascinating botanical wonder due to its unpredictable blooming cycle.
Native to Indonesia’s rainforests, particularly in western Sumatra, the corpse flower is a rare species that blooms only once every 7 to 10 years.
The pungent odor it emits serves an important purpose—attracting pollinators like flies and beetles that thrive on decaying matter.
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With only an estimated 300 corpse flowers left in the wild and fewer than 1,000 in total cultivation, the plant is considered an endangered species, each bloom, therefore, is a significant event for botanists and plant enthusiasts alike.
Why Are So Many Blooming in Australia Now?
Experts remain puzzled by the unusual frequency of corpse flower blooms in Australia. Carol Dale, Canberra’s acting nursery manager, suggests that a possible reason is that many of these plants are of similar age.
“A flower appears when the plant has stored enough energy in its underground tuber, known as a corm,” Dale explained. “Many of these plants may have simply reached maturity at the same time.”
Since the corpse flowers in Canberra, Sydney, and Geelong are all grown under different conditions, it remains a mystery why they have bloomed within such a short period.
Dale admitted that after 15 years without flowering, she had doubted whether Canberra’s climate, which occasionally experiences snowfall, was suitable for a corpse flower.
“We thought our conditions weren’t right for it, so this was a very pleasant surprise,” she said.
The flower started opening on Saturday afternoon, releasing its signature foul odor. By the evening, the stench had intensified, becoming nearly unbearable. Visitors likened the smell to sewage, rotten eggs, and decomposing animals.
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Due to space constraints inside the greenhouse, ticketing was required, limiting the number of visitors. The towering 135-centimeter (53-inch) flower still managed to draw hundreds of eager admirers.
On Monday, the smell had started to fade, but its presence remained strong enough to be detected up close. Staff collected pollen for conservation efforts before the bloom fully wilted.
