Corpse Lily (Amorphophallus Titanum)

Folks at the local Arboretum have nurtured this plant for over ten years, and it is now getting ready to bloom, hopefully by midweek. We wanted to see it pre-bloom when the crowds were minimal, so here it is, full of life and purpose. Here's the catch: when it blooms for its one day of glory, the smell is so outrageous that people have fainted, vomited or become dizzy. Sounds like fun! The powerful rotting animal smell is meant to attract pollinators from quite a distance, but these days it is only curious humans who make a pilgrimage to see it. Corpse Lily blooms every 7 to 9 years, and the flower lasts for only 24 hours, so it's being tracked on Facebook and Instagram, and there was a steady stream of visitors today who wanted an early non-scented glimpse of this remarkable plant. She is called Audrey, and that equipment provides a steady warm mist to simulate growing conditions in the wild. Stay tuned!