2 Corpse Flowers Set to Stink Up the Missouri Botanical Garden

Things are about to get funky

Jul 20, 2023 at 10:51 am

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VIA MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN

The Missouri Botanical Garden had a corpse flower bloom last year as well.

The Missouri Botanical Garden will have not one but two corpse flowers ready to bloom this year.

This is impressive because corpse flowers are endangered in the wild and seeing a corpse flower bloom is not easy. A corpse flower (scientific name Amorphophallus titanum) take 5 to 10 years from seed to first bloom, and when they bloom, it's usually only for 24 hours. Plus, they tend to bloom late starting to open in the afternoon and staying open throughout the evening.

The flower got its nickname because it releases a stinky odor when it opens, and its bloom looks like rotting flesh. That's to attract flies and other stink-loving pollinators.

The star of this year's show is Octavia, who split earlier this year to give us double trouble. The original Octavia, a gift from The Huntington Library, is set to bloom between July 25 and July 29, the third time she's done so. Her clone is a week behind.

The plants are pretty big. Octavia is currently 45 inches and growing 3 to 4 inches a day. Her clone is 20 inches and growing an inch and a half every day.

If you want to see the corpse flowers, head over to the Linnean House (which is included in the price of general admission). And watch the Botanical Garden's website and social media to find out when the bloom is happening. The garden will stay open late so people can see (and smell) Octavia showing her stuff.

Slideshow

Hundreds Line Up to Smell the Corpse Flower at Missouri Botanical Garden [PHOTOS]

Click to View 27 slides

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About The Author

Rosalind Early

Rosalind is the former editor-in-chief of the Riverfront Times. She formerly worked for Washington University's alumni magazine and St. Louis Magazine. In 2018, she was selected as a Rising Leader of Color by the Theatre Communications Group. In 2014, she was selected as an Emerging Leader by FOCUS St. Louis...