Corpse Flower in bloom

Pretty exciting stuff this: amorphophallus titanum or titanum arum is the largest flower in the world. Also known as the Corpse Flower for the aroma of rotting flesh it gives off when in bloom, it is native to Sumatra. The plants blossom very infrequently, and when they do, the flower only lasts for a couple of days before collapsing. The flower can reach over 10ft in height, the leaf structure 20ft tall and nearly as much wide.


Here is a link to a live shot of a bud at Cornell University which is likely to open up in the next few days. It is growing about 2 inches a day, and on March 13th measured 57 inches long.


Thanks to Kathrin at annekata for the link. You can also see some lovely pics of civil war quilts in the same post.