Friday, April 19, 2024
Top StoriesWorld's smelliest plant to flower in Edinburgh

World’s smelliest plant to flower in Edinburgh

 

THE world’s smelliest plant is set to flower in Auld Reekie.

The Amorphophallus titanum (titan arum), said to smell like rotting fish, is one of the world’s biggest and smelliest blooms.

The event is a first for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and for Scotland.

 

botanic-gardens-smelly-2
The titan arum photographed today as it begins to unfurl.

 

 

The plant’s “fragrance” is said to resemble rotting fish. It is also known as the “corpse flower”.

Giifted to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 2003 by Hortus Botanicus in Leiden, Netherlands, it is also the heaviest specimen ever recorded (153.9kgs).

It could take between one to two weeks for it to be in full flower

A spokesman said: “There was great excitement at the Garden this morning when horticulturists discovered the bud had started to unfurl to reveal a flower.

“The plant is currently 137cms in height and getting bigger by the day.

 

botanic-gardens-smelly-1
Another “corpse flower” at the University of Basel, Switzerland

 

“It is expected that our titan arum, which is housed in the Lowland Tropics House, will be of great interest to visitors.
“So, when it is in full bloom, and at its smelliest, the Garden will be open from 9am until 9pm.”

 

Related Stories