There's one plant that's almost guaranteed to draw in crowds once news of its flowering breaks – but not because of its sweet scent, or beautiful blooms.
Instead, thousands of people flock to visit one of the smelliest plants in the world.
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What's the smelliest plant in the world?
The accolade of the world's smelliest plant belongs to the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum). Due to its unpleasant smell, it's also known as the 'corpse flower'. Native to rainforests on the island of Sumatra, the plant can also be seen in botanical gardens across the globe.
What does the corpse flower smell like?
The stench of a blooming corpse flower has been compared to everything from rotting flesh and hot garbage to sweaty socks and fish. Some botanical gardens provide paper bags, just in case.
Why does the corpse flower smell?
The corpse flower releases its scent due to the need to attract pollinators – which are generally thought to be flies and carrion beetles. The bloom is also accompanied by thermogenesis where internal temperatures of the plant reach up to 40°C. After heating up, the plant's blend of sulphur-based compounds creates its famously unpleasant smell.
How long does the corpse flower bloom for?
The corpse flower has a short bloom time – between 24-36 hours every 2-3 years.
Where can you see a corpse flower?
If you're unlikely to be heading into the Sumatran rainforest any time soon, then you can see a corpse flower in botanical gardens across the world. The most well-known corpse flowers can be found in Cooktown Botanic Gardens in Queensland, Australia, Kew Gardens in London and Brooklyn Botanic Gardens in New York.
The last corpse flower known to bloom was on Friday 24 January in Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney in Sydney, Australia. Nicknamed 'Putricia', the plant attracted around 20,000 vistors who queued for up to 3 hours. Nearly 1 million people watched the gardens 24-hour livestream.
How tall is the corpse flower?
The corpse flower has the largest unbranched inflorescence (flowering structure) and can reach 3 metres.
Main image – people look on as 'Putricia' the corpse flower begins to open on 23 January 2025 in Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.
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