Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh ‘corpse flower’ Amorphophallus titanum – SWNS

Known as the ‘world’s stinkiest flower,’ a rare plant that emits a terrible smell has successfully sprouted a magnificent six-foot blossom at a botanical garden in Scotland.

Native only to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, officials estimate that fewer than 1,000 mature individuals remain in the wild. Nicknamed the ‘corpse flower,’ for its smell, it is so rare in the UK that when it bloomed here in 2015, it was a first for Scotland—and it has now burst into a blossom for a remarkable fifth time.

Amorphophallus titanum can weigh up to 220 lbs and grow to almost double the height of a human adult, and has the largest unbranched inflorescence in the plant world.

Because its flower blooms so infrequently—and only for a short period—it gives off a powerful scent to help attract pollinators quickly and effectively. The strong odor resembles that of rotting flesh; hence it is known as the ‘corpse flower’, as translated from the original Indonesian name bangkai (meaning corpse or cadaver).

It generally blooms at night and is characterized as a carrion flower because the scent emitted attracts carrion insects to achieve its pollination.

The Scottish bloom, which is now 22 years old, has only been possible due to the expert care of dedicated conservation horticulturists at the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden who succeeded in replicating the natural habitat conditions of a tropical rain forest.

Its presence has provided Edinburgh plant scientists with an unprecedented opportunity to study its behavior and provide contributory data to help save the species.

Horticulturists work on corpse flower at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh-SWNS

“It’s really big and interesting, but it’s also an endangered plant in the wild, with really interesting cultivation methods,” said Nathan Kelso, a horticulturist at the garden.

“It’s quite a long-lived plant. It comes up as a leaf for a few years, so it’s a long time of looking after what is essentially just a giant leaf.

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“People usually have a mix of ‘wow’ and ‘ew’,” he mused. “It seems to hit some people more than others; some people come in holding their nose and feeling faint at the smell of it.”

“It’s quite a magnificent beast. You can tell someone it’s two meters tall, but until you’re standing in front of it, people don’t realize what that’s like in a flower.”

1,400 visitors have taken the opportunity to visit the garden’s greenhouse, getting a whiff of its stinky odor, and marveling at the spectacular flower.

Sadie Barber, Research Collections Manager, pointed out: “The same plant flowering five times is a rare thing—and is likely a result of us holding what was potentially the world’s largest ever corm.

“There is still so much to learn about the biology and behavior of this enigmatic species, to be the guardians of an amazing specimen and its progeny, raised over the years, is to have the ongoing opportunity to learn from them.

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“While it is hard not being able to allow the public in to enjoy regular access to the Glasshouses during the renovations, we are really excited to be sharing this incredible sight, it is a measure of the conservation activity continuing behind closed doors.”

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