Corpse Bride, meet the corpse flowers at the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÄÚÄ»ÐÅÏ¢ Davis Botanical Conservatory. The largest bloom in the world, the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) flower is really a cluster of many flowers growing from the same base. It can take 15 years for the plant to become big enough to produce a bloom. That may be a good thing because when it does, it emits a powerful fragrance akin to rotten eggs, rotten meat or, yes, a corpse. But instead of repelling, the blooming corpse flower has attracted thousands of people to the conservatory to meet — and smell — it in all its putrid glory.
The last time a corpse flower bloomed at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÄÚÄ»ÐÅÏ¢ Davis was 2012, but friends of foul flowers should get their chance for a wicked whiff soon! The conservatory expects two, and possibly four, corpse flowers to bloom next year, one of which will most likely be , which has already bloomed five times since 2003.
Media Resources
Kat Kerlin, Research news (emphasis on environmental sciences), 530-750-9195, kekerlin@ucdavis.edu