The rare Corpse Flower, native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is set to bloom at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden after a 15-year wait.
The Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney has been waiting for 15 years to witness the rare bloom of a corpse flower, also known as amorphophallus titanum. This giant plant, which can grow up to 9 feet tall, is native to the rainforests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
The Aroma of Rotting Flesh
When it finally blooms, the corpse flower will release an odor reminiscent of rotting garbage or dead mice. The smell is so potent that it attracts a large following, with over 3,000 people watching the plant’s progress online through a livestream set up by the garden.
A Rare and Unpredictable Event
The bloom is expected to last for only about 24 hours, making it easy to miss. Emily Colletti, who tends the amorphophallus titanum collection at the Missouri Botanical Garden, notes that the plant blooms about every two to five years, up to five times during its life.
A Beloved Specimen
The corpse flower in Sydney has been named “Putricia,” a portmanteau of “putrid” and “Patricia.” It has become a beloved specimen among visitors, with some even taking selfies with the plant. According to Daniella Pasqualini, the garden’s horticultural development supervisor, “People have become quite obsessed with her… She’s taken on a life of her own.”
A Rarity in Cultivation
Despite its rarity in the wild, there are “quite a number” of amorphophallus titanum plants in cultivation. In some collections, there may be as many as 100 plants. However, the plant is still considered endangered, with fewer than 1,000 left in the wild.
A Spectacle to Behold
When the corpse flower finally blooms, it will be a spectacle to behold. The plant’s frilly skirt and reddish-brown edges are good signs that it’s getting close to opening. However, as Colletti notes, “it’s often difficult to tell” when the bloom will occur.
