Visitors flock to New York botanic garden for a whiff of corpse flower

Written by on February 3, 2025

Visitors at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are flocking to witness the rare bloom of the Amorphophallus gigas, a plant infamous for its strong odor resembling rotting flesh. The plant, a relative of the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum), has bloomed for the first time since arriving in Brooklyn in 2018. Native to Sumatra, the species emits its foul scent to attract pollinators and takes years between blooming cycles.

Horticulturist Chris Sprindis first noticed signs of blooming around New Year’s Eve, and the flower will only remain open for a few days before collapsing. Given the plant’s unpredictable flowering pattern, it could take years before it blooms again.

A similar phenomenon took place at the Royal Sydney Botanic Garden in Australia, where thousands of visitors lined up for hours to experience the scent of a blooming corpse flower. This was the first bloom of its kind in Sydney in 15 years.

Due to their rarity and strong odor, these plants continue to draw global fascination, making each bloom a highly anticipated event at botanical gardens worldwide.

Source: AP News


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