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Last week, a colossal corpse flower known as Putricia began blooming at Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney. This plant, scientifically named Amorphophallus titanum, is the world’s largest and most distinctive flower with a distinctive stench.
The flower, which emits its infamous foul odor for 24 hours only, made headlines after first appearing about a week and a half ago. It reached a height of 1.62 meters on Tuesday, marking its debut in the garden. This marks it as the fifth corpse flower to bloom there since 2004.
Putricia has been attracting attention since Friday through a livestream titled “A Plant to Die For.” Since then, over 5,000 people have visited the plant in person and nearly two million have watched online. The team at the garden is thrilled by the buzz surrounding the flower, with horticulture director John Siemon expressing enthusiasm about its impact on botany education.
The plant’s underground corm will eventually produce new leaves after flowering, but this may take several years due to energy demands for blooming. Once pollinated in the greenhouse, it could yield up to 400 baby plants for conservation efforts.
Putricia thrives in shady, moist conditions and is rare, with estimates of only a few hundred individuals globally. Its unique name combines “Patricia” and “putrid,” reflecting its association with unpleasant odors.
The last corpse flower to bloom in the garden was in 2010. Despite its significance, not every plant receives such a distinctive name or a special scientific designation. Putricia’s existence is a testament to nature’s beauty and resilience despite adversity.
This blooming represents a milestone for horticulture enthusiasts and conservationists alike, highlighting Sydney’s natural diversity and the potential of such remarkable plants to inspire future research and preservation efforts.
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-23/nsw-sydney-botanic-gardens-putricia-corpse-flower-blooms/104841968