Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is all set for the bloom of a rare Amorphophallus titanum, commonly known as a corpse flower.
Named "Putricia" by the Meijer Gardens horticulture staff, peak bloom is expected between Thursday and Saturday.
The corpse flower is one of the largest and rarest flowering plants in the world and can take up to a decade to produce a flowering structure. When it blooms, it opens for only 24 to 36 hours. The name corpse flower comes from the nauseating smell that the plant emits when it opens.
“As a professional horticulturist, this is incredibly exciting,” said Steve LaWarre, Director of Horticulture at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “Many people go through their entire careers never seeing an example like this in person. We are thrilled that something that we started as a seedling here at Meijer Gardens 18 years ago is coming to fruition and that the public is showing such great interest.”
