The Rare Corpse Flower Takes Years To Bloom, And Boasts A Putrid Odor When It Does
A rare corpse flower named Cosmo was brought to Colorado State University back in 2016. After spending eight years in the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Conservatory, it finally bloomed on the evening of May 25, 2024.
The event marked the very first time that a corpse flower had bloomed on the college’s campus. A huge crowd from Fort Collins flocked to CSU to catch a glimpse (and a whiff) of the corpse flower.
While in bloom, the corpse flower boasts a putrid odor that is similar to the stench of rotting flesh, hence its name.
It also produces heat, which helps the stench travel farther. The smell subsides a little within the first 12 to 24 hours of its flowering.
Its smell may be repulsive to us humans, but it attracts flies and carrion beetles. The chemicals responsible for the powerful smell are dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide.
Sadly, the bloom only lasts for about two to three days. After that, it won’t bloom again for another three to five years since it doesn’t have an annual blooming cycle.
It’s hard to predict the next time the flower will bloom because it requires very specific conditions for that to occur.
It only blooms when it has accumulated enough energy and in environments with warm days and nights and high humidity.
When the plant isn’t in bloom, it produces a giant stem called a corm and a single, large leaf. The corm can weigh over 300 pounds, while the leaf can be 15 feet tall.
evenfh – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
The corpse flower is scientifically known as Amorphophallus titanium. It is native to the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, and was first discovered in 1878.
According to the United States Botanic Garden, it is the world’s largest unbranched inflorescence, which refers to a cluster of flowers acting as one.
The corpse flower can grow up to eight feet tall. The record holder for the tallest flowering specimen measured over 12 feet tall.
In the United States, public viewings of the intriguing flower have occurred several times. The U.S. Botanic Garden has displayed blooming corpse flowers during the following years: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
There are less than 1,000 specimens left in the wild. The plant is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
It is estimated that the population has decreased by more than 50 percent over the past 150 years due to habitat loss.
Logging and further development of the oil palm industry are the main contributors to the flower’s decline.
As a result, many botanical gardens and universities have been participating in conservation efforts to grow more corpse flowers and maintain a diverse gene pool.
It is the hope that Cosmo’s genetics can be shared with other institutions across the country so they can grow their own corpse flowers, protecting the rare plant from extinction.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings