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SMELL IT: Stinky Corpse Flower Set To Bloom Soon At New York Botanical Garden
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 21, 2016
Modified Jul 21, 2016
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New York Botanical Garden
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 21, 2016
Modified Jul 21, 2016
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It's an event years in the making: The New York Botanical Garden's Amorphophallus titanum—or as it's more fun to say, the corpse flower—is set to bloom any day now. The last time the NYBG had one bloom was in 1939!
The NYBG calls the corpse flower "a fleeting spectacle of size, color, and odor unlike any other in the plant kingdom":
The bloom of our Amorphophallus titanum, known to many as the corpse flower, is a horticultural jewel 10 years in the making. Each day of careful tending and feeding has led up to this moment: a brief (up to 36 hours) yet glorious window in which the enormous plant (up to eight feet high) will unfurl, displaying the striking red interior and uncanny scent to which it owes its name. Whenever the titan-arum blooms, it causes a sensation.
The garden's horticulturists noticed a bud formed last Friday and it was moved to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory on Monday.
And it's called a corpse flower because it smells like rotting flesh (it's like the durian of plant smells!).
The NYBG has set up a live-cam; at this point, it's believed the flower will bloom this weekend:
To emphasize how cool the blossoming of the Amorphophallus titanum is, just enjoy these timelapses of other corpse flowers:
The NYBG recommends anyone wishing to catch a glimpse of the flower to follow their social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to know when the best time to go is.
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new york botanical garden
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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