Big Stinky Flower!

Olbrich's Amorphophallus titanum (Titan Arum) bloomed in October 2009.

This is a rare occurrence as a Titan Arum, also known as the Corpse Flower, will only bloom four to five times during its 40-year life. Titan Arum are best known for their unpleasant odor - comparable to rotting meat.

Photo at right:  Conservatory staff standing next to Olbrich's blooming Titan Arum plant. The plant is 7 feet, 3 inches tall from the tip of the plant to the top of the soil in the container.

 

 

What's that smell?

The Titan Arum attracts pollinators with the smell of rotting fish. People associate rotten smells with decay; carrion beetles associate these same odors with a tasty meal. The beetles are drawn to the smelly flower, then pollinate it with the male pollen grains they may be carrying.

All plants must be pollinated to bear fruit. Pollination usually happens when a male pollen grain is brought to the female part of the flower by water, wind, insects, animals, or humans. When this connection happens, a fruit can grow. Titan Arum fruit is reddish-orange, and cherry-sized. Pollen from Olbrich's Titan Arum will be collected and may be sent to other botanic gardens to pollinate their Titan Arum plants.

Photo at right: Olbrich's Titan Arum plant.

 

history

The Amorphophallus titanum is native to Indonesia and was discovered in 1878 by Odoardo Beccari, an Italian botanist.

Most botanical gardens in the United States owe their Titan Arums to James R. Symon, who collected fruits and brought them to the United States in 1993 for conservation. The Indonesian rain forests of Sumatra are being destroyed by deforestation, leaving the native Titan Arum vulnerable. At Olbrich Botanical Gardens, the Titan Arum pollen will be collected and used to pollinate others in greenhouses throughout the United States.

For more information, visit the University of Wisconsin Botany Department's Titan Arum Web page.

 

photos

Titan Arum spathe (red part of the flower) was fully open by 3:15 pm, about four hours after it started opening.	The spathe measures about 4 feet across, and the entire plant is 7 feet, three inches tall.
Titan Arum plant at 2:15 on October 28. Check back to watch its progress!	Titan Arum plant at 1:15 pm on October 28.
Titan Arum plant at 12:15 pm on October 28.	Titan Arum plant at 11:15 am on October 28, just after staff realized the flower was opening.
One of the best views of the Titan Arum is from the Orchid Aerie. This photo was taken on October 26.	The Titan Arum is currently seven feet, three inches tall from the tip of the plant to the top of the soil.
Gnats are already attracted to the plant, even though it doesn't have a noticeable smell to humans yet.
The sheath part of the Titan Arum hasn't completely pulled away from the plant yet. The spadix is also getting taller.	The Titan Arum is large, but it could get much bigger! This photo was taken on October 19.
When the sheath opened and the ridges of the spathe were revealed, staff was positive that the Titan Arum would bloom.	When not in leaf or in bloom, Titan Arum plants reside in Olbrich's greenhouses. At this point, staff wasn't sure if the plant was in the leaf or flower part of its life cycle, as the plants bloom so infrequently.

 

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