The “stinking” side of nature

I wonder why people would actually make an effort to see this unusual creation of nature…but then come to think of it, it can be said that it’s mostly the ‘unusual stuff’ that land up getting the maximum attention.

Its scent has drawn comparisons to garbage and spoiled meat, but that isn’t stopping crowds from flocking to see _and smell — an unusual plant in bloom at the U.S. Botanic Garden..

and this is what it looks like….

A titan arum, the gigantic plant known for the foul odor it emits, will soon bloom at the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory.

Once it does bloom, visitors may want to hold their noses. The titan arum releases an odor that smells like rotting meat, which is why the plant’s nickname is the “corpse flower” .

The titan arum, or Amorphophallus titanum, is native to the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, and can grow to 12 feet. The current height of the plant at the U.S. Botanic Garden is 4 feet. A huge underground stem, or corm, supports the plant and determines when it will bloom, depending on how much energy it accumulates.

The height of the plant also depends on the energy acquired in the corm. Although the plant now stands at 4 feet, the corm weighs more than 100 lbs., meaning the ultimate height of the plant could exceed the average of about 5 feet.

Raised from seed, this will be the first time that the plant has bloomed. Once fully open, the plant will remain in bloom for 24 to 48 hours and then it will quickly collapse.