Thousands Flock To Australia’s Geelong For Rare Once-A-Decade ‘Corpse Flower’ Bloom – News18

Last Updated:November 13, 2024, 18:58 IST

This plant arrived at Geelong Botanic Garden in 2021 from the State Herbarium in Adelaide, South Australia, and ever since horticulturalists have been patiently monitoring for any emergence of a subtle bud.

Thousands of people recently visited Geelong Botanic Gardens in Victoria, Australia, to watch the blooming ‘corpse flower’ (Amorphophallus titanum), which is known for its smell similar to that of rotting flesh.

The visitors flocked to the botanical garden in Geelong in large numbers as the corpse flower blooms only once in every 7 to 10 years, and the blooming lasts for around 24 to 48 hours.

The plant started to bloom on Monday, November 11, after days of waiting, with approximately 5,000 visitors turning up on the first day, Reese McIlvena from Geelong Parks told CNN affiliate Nine News.

For those who could not witness the blossom in person, a live streaming was held on social media platforms for the people worldwide to witness this rare event, according to a Fox Weather report.

This plant arrived at Geelong Botanic Garden in 2021 from the State Herbarium in Adelaide, South Australia, and ever since horticulturalists have been patiently monitoring for any emergence of a subtle bud.

As quoted by Nine News, City of Greater Geelong Chief Executive Ali Wastie emphasised the role played by the botanical garden staff in conserving and showcasing endangered plant varieties. “The endangered Titan Arum is the largest species of carrion flower and its preservation is important as the wild population is in decline,” Wastie said.

Indigenous to Indonesia, the plant is considered ‘endangered’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. Its native Sumatran forest has been severely affected by land degradation and deforestation where most of the land has been turned into plantations for timber, paper or oil palm as reported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The plant can live for over 30 to 40 years. According to the IUCN, they remain very rare in their natural environment in the wild as there are only a few hundred.

It is now legally protected in Indonesia. Dozens of botanic gardens globally propagate the plant for the IUCN conservation initiative, including one at California, which the public voted to be called ‘Darth Vapour’.

Corpse Flower is one of the largest flowers of the world, which may reach the size of nearly the height of 9-10 feet. Its floral structure is a high spadix enclosed by a dense spathe resembling an upturned slice of raw meat.