Geelong Botanic Gardens’ corpse flower is in bloom for the first time, with only a short time available for people to witness the rare event.
The Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanium), commonly known as the corpse flower, started to bloom on Monday, November 11 and is expected to last only 24 to 48 hours before the flower dies.
The plant is famous for its distinctive odour that smells like rotting flesh when it blooms, and flowers once every seven to 10 years.
City of Greater Geelong chief executive Ali Wastie said the bloom was an exciting moment for plant enthusiasts and community members across the region.
“The endangered Titan Arum is the largest species of carrion flower, and its preservation is important as the wild population is in decline,” she said.
“Since the bloom window is so short, don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience and come see it for yourself at the Geelong Botanic Gardens.
“As the Geelong Botanic Gardens opens its doors for this extraordinary event, we can appreciate the vital role that botanic gardens play in promoting rare and unique plant species.
“It’s been fantastic to see so many people interested in the Titan Arum and thank you to the thousands of people who have come to visit our iconic gardens in the lead-up to its blossoming.”
The Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia – Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens gifted Geelong Botanic Gardens two Amorphophallus titanum corms in 2021.
The corms produce a giant leaf each year, which soon dies back into the corm and becomes dormant.
Geelong Botanic Gardens will be open 24 hours from Monday so visitors can see the corpse plant in bloom.
Visit geelong.link/corpseplant for up-to-date information about the corpse plant.
