Got a strong stomach? Love subjecting your nostrils to an overwhelming assault of pure, unadulterated stink? Well then you’re in luck, because a botanic rarity is about to unfold at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens, one that’s not been experienced in these parts since 2010. A rare and endangered Corpse Flower (also known as Amorphophallus titanum), one of several at the gardens, is showing clear signs that it is about to bloom, which is notable for two reasons. One, it will only do this for 24 hours, and two, when it does, it’ll let off one of the most putrid smells known to botanists.
Boasting one of the largest and smelliest flower spikes in nature, the Corpse Flower is said to smell, well, like a rotting corpse. Perhaps aware that this is – hopefully – not your everyday smell, the RBG also notes that “People have described the smell as like wet socks, hot cat food, or rotting possum flesh”. Whatever bouquet you pick up, the flower is expected to bloom imminently, and preparations are already under way. For example, you can watch a dedicated livestream here, if you like slow-moving drama with the prospect of a dramatic payoff (plus, you can spare your nose the trauma):
Once the skirt of the plant (officially, the ‘spathe’) begins to open, the smell will spill out into the world, surely creating a Proustian moment that will echo through your memories whether you like it or not. The gardens have promised that as soon as the flowering begins, the plant will be moved from its current location in the Palm House to a suitable spot for public viewing and smelling. Visitors will be asked to donate to the gardens in order to see it, and the venue will be open until midnight for this momentous occasion.
The last time this happened in Sydney was 2010, and will be the fifth bloom to happen in the city – spare a thought for the noses of those who witnessed the rare double bloom in 2006. We expect it to be extremely busy as the overwhelming curiosity draws guests in their droves, and the official opening is still dependent on the flower blooming. Stay abreast of developments on the RBG website, and let us know on social media if you experience it!