What's that Smell? Corpse Plant Begins Rare Blooming at Botanic Garden in Raleigh

What's that smell? Corpse plant begins rare blooming at botanic garden in Raleigh

Corpse plants, known scientifically as titan arums, are given the nickname because of the strong odor they make when they bloom. Scientists compared the smell to rotting flesh or a decaying corpse. It also attracts natural pollinators, such as beetles and flies.

Rare, huge, smelly Corpse Flower about to bloom at Juniper Level Botanic Garden (come and smell it!) - Triangle on the Cheap

Amorphophallus titanum blooming in 2023. Photo courtesy of Juniper Level Botanic Garden. Titan Arums (Amorphophallus titanum), also known as corpse flowers, are rare plants, native only to the jungles of Sumatra. They are notable because of their size–they can grow to be ten feet tall — and because when they bloom, which they only do every few years, just a couple times in their lifetime, they emit an extremely strong smell. It’s been compared w…