Rare ‘corpse flower’ prepares for its first bloom at San Diego Botanic Garden

San Diego Botanic Garden, in Encinitas, announces the expected blooming of one of the world’s rarest and smelliest plants, a corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum). The flower is expected to bloom over the coming week, and once in full bloom will emit its pungent odor for only 48 hours. The plant is on display in the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory at the garden, 300 Quail Gardens Drive at Ecke Ranch Road.

“We are extremely fortunate to again be presenting a bloom from our permanent collection, the first bloom for this particular plant,” said Ari Novy, president and CEO of San Diego Botanic Garden. “The blooming of a corpse flower has become an international sensation, intriguing people from around the world with its fleeting flower. The heat and smell are used to attract pollinator insects, while also attracting curious humans excited to experience this beautiful and smelly rock star of the plant world.”

The blooming of a corpse flower is a rare and special event, as most of these plants require seven to 10 years to produce their first blooms, and bloom only every four to five years thereafter. The corpse flower is characterized as a carrion flower that attracts carcass-eating insects. Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, the humid climate that this rare and endangered plant grows in will be replicated in the garden’s 8,000 square-foot Dickinson Family Education Conservatory.

The garden’s most recent corpse flower blooms occurred last year, when the team presented two sister blooms a couple of weeks apart. This particular flower was donated to the garden in 2016 and has never bloomed before.

Once in full bloom, the plant will emit its stench for just two days, and then stay up for three to four days before it begins to close and slowly decay. Since the floral odor is strongest in the evening, SDBG will extend its hours for the first two nights of bloom, allowing guests a chance to see — and smell — this rare phenomenon. Special early morning viewing hours will also be available starting at 7 a.m. on the second day following the bloom.

Ticket reservations are required. After-hours admission on specified bloom days includes entrance to the conservatory building only after 6:30 p.m. SDBG members receive free admission. Pricing for nonmembers is $18 for adults, $10 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for ages 2 and under. Discounted pricing is available for military, students, and seniors ages 60 or older. For more information, visit sdbg.org.