Holidaymakers in Sydney will be given the rather strange opportunity to witness history and see the Amorphophallus titanium plant, or “corpse flower”, release its horrific smell
A tourist hotspot will bizarrely “smell like old socks and cat vomit” this weekend due to a “corpse flower” that unleashes a pungent smell.
Holidaymakers in Sydney will be given the rather strange opportunity to witness history and see the Amorphophallus titanium plant, or Bunga Bangkai, release its horrific smell, which happens every few years for just 24 hours.
The plant, which is also dubbed in Indonesian the “corpse flower”, unfurls its petals and releases an odour that is a stomach-churning mix of old socks and cat sick. At some point between Friday and Monday, the corpse flower at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney is due to release its pong – and everyone is invited.
Although the Royal Botanic Gardens has several Bunga Bangkai at different stages of growth in its greenhouse, only one bloom is a rare event. “A few days ago horticulturalists working in the glasshouse noticed the initial clues that one might be entering the flowering stage,” the RBG said in a statement.
“Daily measurements and close observation began, and due to vital information sharing from other botanic gardens across the world about Amorphophallus titanium blooming patterns, the team can now confirm that we are likely to have a stinky inflorescence in the next few days”.
Staff have been able to spot that the spadix, the spike in the centre of the plant, is growing and on Thursday night it grew to a whopping 13cm.
“If you’ve got some wet teenage socks, throw that into a blender, then you get some cat food you’ve left out in the sun, whack that in your blender, and then get some day old vomit,” remarked Paul Nicholson, manager of the RBG’s volunteer programs.
“Put that in the blender, blend it all up, and rip the lid off. That’s the kind of smell you’re getting.” However, he added: “It’s actually stunningly beautiful as well.”
The reason behind the smell is due to the plant attracting carrion-eating beetles and flesh flies which pollinate the flowers within the spathe. The stench can be detected by these insects over a kilometre away. The insects are tricked into thinking they are landing on flesh as the deep red of the spathe looks like meat. The plant originates from the Indonesian island of Sumatra and there are less than 1000 fould-stenching corpse plants in the wild.
