Amorphophallus titanum or the corpse flower. Every few years I read about these plants blooming and am always intrigued. I mean, what isn't fascinating about a plant that smells like rotting meat? It may the the inner plant geek inside me, but I just find this to be really cool.
The UW has a set of botanic greenhouses that are open to the public and contain this plant. I just found this out and cannot believe that I didn't know this before. I also cannot believe that I have never seen one of these corpse flowers in person. When I read that the greenhouse had one of these flowers blooming I decided that it was the perfect time to experience both of these things together at last. Apparently the apex of the smell (and flower condition) was Thursday night. I had to work so on Friday afternoon, Michael and I made the trek down there.
By the time we entered the intensely humid greenhouse, the smell had mostly faded. The curator told us to expect a smell reminiscent of a good Peking restaurant (whatever that means), but when I crawled up the ladder to look inside of the flower, I didn't smell anything in particular. Not that I love smelling rotting meat, but that IS kind of the 'charm' of this plant. Either way, it was a really cool, very large flower and I did enjoy seeing it if not smelling it. Next time another one blooms I will have to show up a little earlier. As mildly unpleasant as it might be, I definitely intend to experience it at least once in my life.
The UW has a set of botanic greenhouses that are open to the public and contain this plant. I just found this out and cannot believe that I didn't know this before. I also cannot believe that I have never seen one of these corpse flowers in person. When I read that the greenhouse had one of these flowers blooming I decided that it was the perfect time to experience both of these things together at last. Apparently the apex of the smell (and flower condition) was Thursday night. I had to work so on Friday afternoon, Michael and I made the trek down there.
By the time we entered the intensely humid greenhouse, the smell had mostly faded. The curator told us to expect a smell reminiscent of a good Peking restaurant (whatever that means), but when I crawled up the ladder to look inside of the flower, I didn't smell anything in particular. Not that I love smelling rotting meat, but that IS kind of the 'charm' of this plant. Either way, it was a really cool, very large flower and I did enjoy seeing it if not smelling it. Next time another one blooms I will have to show up a little earlier. As mildly unpleasant as it might be, I definitely intend to experience it at least once in my life.
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