Workers at Reiman Gardens in Ames are on “bloom watch” for a rare occurrence that will make for a smelly scene this spring. “Stink Floyd,” a 12-year-old corpse flower, is expected to bloom soon — as early as this weekend, according to officials at Reiman Gardens. And when it does, visitors will learn exactly where the plant — also known as Amorphophallus titanum — got its nickname. “Rare. Rancid. Ridiculously cool,” officials posted on Reiman Gardens’ Facebook page, saying the plant only blooms every 5-10 years. “And when it does, it blows minds and nostrils alike.” As the flower unfurls, it emits an intense odor that lasts about 24-48 hours. Some have compared the stench to dirty gym socks. Others say it smells like road kill or rotting flesh from a slaughterhouse. What’s behind the smell? “It mimics decomposing meat to attract pollinators like carrion beetles and flesh flies,” according to the Reiman Gardens website, which also says the bloom generates heat, which helps the scent spread.There are thought to be only 300 of the plants in the wild and fewer than 1,000 including those in cultivation, according to the Associated Press. One at Des Moines Botanical Garden drew more than 8,000 people over two days when it bloomed in July 2017. Officials at Reiman Gardens say they’ll provide regular updates as “bloom watch 2025” continues. Reiman Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 8 p.m. General admission costs $12, with discounts for seniors 65 and older and children ages 2-12. Admission is free to children under 2 and for Iowa State University students.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayMore about the corpse flowerKnown as the Amorphophallus titanum, the flowering plant has the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, which can be up to 3 meters (10 feet) high. Its compound flower is composed of a hollow, tall spadix with small flowers and a spathe, with one big, furrowed petal that is green on the outside and deep burgundy red on the inside. It spends most of its life as an underground tuber, with rare and unpredictable blooms that normally happen at age 7-10 years for the first time, then every 4-5 years after that.The plant only grows in the wild in the rainforests of Sumatra, but it is endangered there due to deforestation. Cultivation at botanical gardens, where they are a great visitor attraction, has helped its preservation. It’s first known blooming outside Sumatra was in 1889 at London’s Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew.Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.From 2017: Watch timelapse of beautiful corpse flower bloom at Des Moines Botanical Garden
AMES, Iowa —
Workers at Reiman Gardens in Ames are on “bloom watch” for a rare occurrence that will make for a smelly scene this spring.
“Stink Floyd,” a 12-year-old corpse flower, is expected to bloom soon — as early as this weekend, according to officials at Reiman Gardens. And when it does, visitors will learn exactly where the plant — also known as Amorphophallus titanum — got its nickname.
“Rare. Rancid. Ridiculously cool,” officials posted on Reiman Gardens’ Facebook page, saying the plant only blooms every 5-10 years. “And when it does, it blows minds and nostrils alike.”
As the flower unfurls, it emits an intense odor that lasts about 24-48 hours. Some have compared the stench to dirty gym socks. Others say it smells like road kill or rotting flesh from a slaughterhouse.
What’s behind the smell?
“It mimics decomposing meat to attract pollinators like carrion beetles and flesh flies,” according to the Reiman Gardens website, which also says the bloom generates heat, which helps the scent spread.
There are thought to be only 300 of the plants in the wild and fewer than 1,000 including those in cultivation, according to the Associated Press. One at Des Moines Botanical Garden drew more than 8,000 people over two days when it bloomed in July 2017.
Officials at Reiman Gardens say they’ll provide regular updates as “bloom watch 2025” continues.
Reiman Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 8 p.m. General admission costs $12, with discounts for seniors 65 and older and children ages 2-12. Admission is free to children under 2 and for Iowa State University students.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
More about the corpse flower
Known as the Amorphophallus titanum, the flowering plant has the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, which can be up to 3 meters (10 feet) high.
Its compound flower is composed of a hollow, tall spadix with small flowers and a spathe, with one big, furrowed petal that is green on the outside and deep burgundy red on the inside.
It spends most of its life as an underground tuber, with rare and unpredictable blooms that normally happen at age 7-10 years for the first time, then every 4-5 years after that.
The plant only grows in the wild in the rainforests of Sumatra, but it is endangered there due to deforestation. Cultivation at botanical gardens, where they are a great visitor attraction, has helped its preservation. It’s first known blooming outside Sumatra was in 1889 at London’s Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
From 2017: Watch timelapse of beautiful corpse flower bloom at Des Moines Botanical Garden
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