The UW-Madison titan arum is well on its way to producing fruit, thanks to pollen from Selby Botanical Gardens, chief pollinator Paul Berry and many helper house flies. According to Botany Greenhouses and Garden Director Mo Fayyaz, the corpse flower has produced more than 1,000 developing fruits. In mid-July, the spathe peeled off and was removed, exposing the peduncle or stalk of the inflorescence. On July 18, the peduncle stood 23-inches tall and was still growing. The fruiting spadex will continue to be monitored until late fall when the fruit is expected to be fully mature.
Photo: Mohammad Fayyaz