Second ‘corpse flower’ in bloom

Another titan arum, or “corpse flower,” began blooming this afternoon in the Botany Greenhouse. The public is invited to catch a glimpse – and a whiff – of the titan arum until midnight tonight (Tuesday, June 28) and again from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29.

The best viewing (and smelling) occurs during the first 12 to 20 hours after the flower opens.

This titan arum first bloomed in summer 2002 and is the second to blossom at the greenhouse this month. The blossoms are noted for a nasty stench given off by blooms that can have a diameter of as much as four feet. With a height of just over 5 feet, this plant is much smaller than the plant that blossomed on June 9, which reached a height of 8 feet, 2-1/2 inches.

The Botany Greenhouse is located in Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive. Entry to the greenhouse is through the greenhouse garage, which is located behind Birge Hall just off Lathrop Drive.

Blossoms of the cultivated plant are rare, although UW–Madison has experienced the plant’s stinky glory with what seems to be clockwork regularity. The plants may bloom only two or three times during a 40-year lifespan, so the UW–Madison botanists are expert at coaxing blooms from the plants.