32
submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

An Amorphophallus titanum or titan arum, commonly known as the corpse flower, has bloomed at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra for the first time.

The 15-year-old plant started unfurling its 135 centimetre-tall flower spike on Saturday afternoon, emanating a putrid stench described by some as smelling like "dead rat".

The bloom is expected to start collapsing by Monday afternoon and will gradually return to a dormant state as an underground corm.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

I went to the Garden World one a few weeks ago. Kind of a funky smell that did stick in my nostrils for a day or so but nothing compared to a sheep carcass rotting in the paddock.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Agreed. Have smelt far worse on the farm. We were there at 2ish and one of the staff was saying it was a lot more potent in the morning and yesterday evening.

this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2025
32 points (97.1% liked)

Canberra

357 readers
6 users here now

For stuff related to Canberra and the surrounding region.

The icon is a Gang Gang Cockatoo, which is a pretty cool bird and also the ACT faunal emblem.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS