In Geelong, Australia, thousands of visitors gathered to see the rare bloom of the “corpse flower,” known for its foul odour resembling rotting meat.
This massive plant, officially called the Titan Arum, flowers only once every seven to ten years and for just one or two days. The Geelong Botanic Gardens stayed open 24 hours during the event to accommodate over 20,000 curious onlookers.
Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, the corpse flower can grow up to three meters tall. It produces its stinky smell to attract pollinators like flies and beetles. Once the flower opens, the powerful odour lasts a short time before the bloom collapses.
Botanical experts explained that after the bloom ends, the plant begins storing energy for its next flowering, a process that can take nearly a decade. The event gave visitors a rare chance to experience one of nature’s most fascinating and smelly spectacles.
