Happy to be Stinky

When it bloomed at the Huntington in 1999, the gigantic Amorphophallus titanum (a.k.a. the corpse flower) created international headlines.

A second flowering in 2002 was equally sensational. Now, one of the famous corpse flower's offspring is getting ready to make its debut.

Propagated from seed produced by the 1999 bloom, one could call it a genuine "Son of Stinky."

As of June 15th, the bloom measured 6 feet and 6.75 inches and it was expected to open within a few days. “It's now taller than Kobe Bryant and is surrounded by a crowd of admirers all day,” said communications coordinator Lisa Blackburn.

Native to the equatorial rain forests of Sumatra, the corpse flower can reach more than six feet in height when it blooms, opening to a diameter of three to four feet. But the plant is perhaps most famous---or infamous---for its exceptionally foul odor, hence its nickname.

Contributing to the plant's powerful fascination is the fact that blooms are extremely rare. To date, only about 50 flowerings have been recorded in the United States. The 1999 bloom at The Huntington was the first ever documented in California. Adding to the mystique of this plant is that fact that it can heat itself up to 10 degrees warmer than surrounding air.

These towering titans of the plant kingdom are often said to be the largest flowers in the world. However, the "flower" is actually an inflorescence (or compound flower) with a fleshy, upright spadix surrounded by a tightly furled, petal-like spathe. When it blooms,

the spathe unfolds to reveal a velvety maroon interior, releasing its notorious smell at the same time. The actual flowers are hidden deep inside, where they are pollinated by insects attracted by the carrion-like odor. The bloom increases in size by several inches daily and lasts approximately 48 hours after opening.

The Huntington actually has the famous “stinky plants” for sale in their gift shop for $250 US... just in case anyone wants to try flowering this oddity on their own property.