Corpse flowers smell like death, but thousands rush to see them bloom

The city of Sydney in Australia has gained new attention for something unexpected. Instead of sunbathers by the shore or bustling restaurant queues, curious groups have appeared at the Royal Botanic Garden to experience a “corpse flower.”

This flower is famous for being the largest bloom in the world, and for its overpowering odor. Some call it revolting; others call it mesmerizing. Either way, there’s no denying its draw.

The plant’s official name is Amorphophallus titanum, but its fans know it by a more colorful nickname: the corpse flower. Either way, its flowers have an odor that’s powerful enough to attract thousands.

Dr. Emily White, a horticultural scientist at the Royal Botanic Garden, has studied rare tropical species for over a decade.

An irresistible stench

This short-lived spectacle only blooms for about 24 hours every few years, when it releases a scent that many liken to the stench of rotting meat.

Visitors report everything from hints of rancid socks to the smell of forgotten leftovers.

Staff members say nearly 20,000 people have navigated the winding pathways and stood patiently in line for a chance to see (and smell) the flower up close.

Native to the rainforests of western Indonesia, the corpse flower was discovered in 1878 by Italian botanist Odoardo Beccari.

It has intrigued plant enthusiasts ever since, partly because it grows from an underground corm that can weigh hundreds of pounds.

Corpse flower blooms for just one day

To see the plant in bloom is a rare event. The flower only lasts about a day, meaning that people who wish to see and smell it need to rush to the garden before the bloom collapses.

If you miss it, there’s no knowing when it might come around again.

The wait might be four or five years, or even longer. The staff extended visiting hours and accepted donations from fascinated guests, hoping to give everyone a chance to witness the ephemeral wonder before it faded.

By the next afternoon, the flower would be spent, and the pungent smell would vanish, leaving just a tall, withered structure behind.

Why does the corpse flower stink?

The smell may be disagreeable to humans, but it’s essential for pollination.

While most flowers use pleasant fragrances to lure bees or butterflies, the corpse flower’s stench entices flies and beetles that specialize in feeding on carrion.

These insects mistake the odor for that of a rotting carcass, crawl deep into the bloom, and help transfer pollen in the process.

This trick is vital to the corpse flower’s reproduction, though it can seem downright repugnant to most people brave enough to get close.

Don’t eat the fruit

Once pollination occurs, the flower produces bright red, round fruits that appear over the course of a few months.

In the wild, they would be eaten by certain birds, like rhinoceros hornbills, which help disperse the seeds across the rainforest floor.

The fruits are poisonous to humans and not intended as a snack. Even if they form successfully, the plant requires substantial energy to generate them, so it usually remains dormant for years before attempting another bloom.

“We expect multiple corpse flower blooms per year,” states the U.S. Botanic Garden on their official website, although they note that the timing is unpredictable. 

Curious onlookers everywhere have tuned in to live feeds hosted by botanical institutions. Many gardens around the world keep at least one corpse flower in a specialized greenhouse, hoping for the day it sets off a flurry of excitement.

Guinness World Records shows that the tallest known specimen reached 10 feet 2 inches (just over 3 meters) when it bloomed in New Hampshire in 2010.

The combination of size, smell, and rarity makes the corpse flower a consistent headliner whenever it decides to bloom.

Corpse flower conservation

Despite its fame in public displays, the corpse flower faces major challenges in nature.

Environmental pressure has reduced the number of wild plants, and it is officially classified as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Intensive logging and conversion of the plant’s Sumatran habitat into palm oil plantations have taken a toll.

Several botanic gardens cooperate on cross-pollination and seed-sharing programs to broaden the gene pool, including the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Kew in London, and various U.S. institutions.

These programs aim to safeguard the species through ex situ conservation efforts, an important lifeline for plants threatened by habitat loss.

Fascination for all ages

The corpse flower isn’t just an oddity for expert gardeners. Families with kids on school breaks have dropped by the glasshouse to see – and sniff – something unlike any rose or lily.

Its short-lived bloom offers an unforgettable lesson in biodiversity. Even the worst smell can be a good teacher.

If the lines of visitors are any clue, plenty of people want to learn more about this plant’s unusual approach to survival.

The spectacle reminds us that nature is full of surprises, and sometimes the most memorable experiences are the ones that leave your nose crinkled and your eyes wide.

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