Corpse Flower Blooming

press release:

Corpse Flower Now in Bloom

Don't miss this stinky spectacle! Blooms last 24-36 hours.

The Bolz Conservatory will be open for extended hours on Thursday, May 5, from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

As of Wednesday, May 4, 2022, one of our corpse flowers (Amorphophallus titanum #060051, to be exact) has begun to bloom and is on display in the tropical Bolz Conservatory. The plant reached a height of just under 68 inches before opening up. Received as a donation from UW-Madison's D.C. Smith Greenhouse in 2006, this plant has been building up energy for nearly 12 years since it last bloomed to a height of 6 feet tall in 2010.

The rare bloom of this giant flower (technically the world's largest unbranched inflorescence) is accompanied by the putrid stench of rotting flesh, a clever tactic used to attract natural pollinators like carrion beetles and flies. The crimson, blood-red hue of the inner spathe also aids in this expert display of morbid mimicry.

Native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, corpse flowers bloom only 4-5 times on average during their 40-year lifespan, and can take as many as 7-10 years (in this case, 12!) to store up energy between blooms.

The Bolz Conservatory will be open for special extended hours on Thursday, May 5, from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. to offer as many people as possible an opportunity to witness this rare botanical event. Admission is $6 for the general public, $3 for children ages 6-12, free for children ages 5 and under, and free for Olbrich members.