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Corpse flower at Belle Isle Conservatory

Posted at 5:16 PM, Mar 02, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-02 17:16:36-05

A foul odor is coming out of Belle Isle this week.

That's because a corpse flower is on display and it gives off a horrible smell.

Devin Lyons works at the Belle Isle Conservatory.  He said the smell is, "Decrepit and rancid. You can stink the whole place out."

The corpse flower gives off the stink to attract flies for pollination.

"It would smell like this and flies would come to it. They would get the pollen on their little hands and legs and they would go to another flower."

This foul smell also attracts curious visitors. 

Lyons explained, "A lot of people just scrunch their faces, held their nose a little bit."

The flower is about 40 years old and is on loan from a woman who didn't want it to stink up her house.

"I would definitely get it. I would have it in my house," Lyons added.

The corpse flower will be on display until this weekend, but each day it's losing its smell.