Behold The Corpse Flower in all his/her Beauty

by Prince Of Petworth August 3, 2016 at 1:25 pm 21 Comments

corpse flower
Photo by PoPville flickr user TIA

TIA writes:

“Corpse flower resplendent.

This particular corpse flower took 6 years to bloom, and this is her first blooming. She will collapse within 24-48 hours. I believe this is only the sixth corpse flower to bloom in Washington DC in the last 100 years.”

28701848826_0d70328508_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user Victoria Pickering

28119472733_86d76aed9e_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user angela n.

28116401664_7be85059c5_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user Victoria Pickering

28690891486_fdd1ac5f55_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user TIA

corpse flower line
Photo by PoPville flickr user angela n.

chasscott

Went to see it yesterday after work, before the stink got too bad. Magnificent looking plant, like something out of ancient time period. When I arrived the line was already wrapped around the block and just as long when we left. Great that so many people appreciate a wonder of nature, scented or not!!!
- that man a
  
  how long were you waiting in line for?
stinky

Are they really letting people stand there and draw it when there’s a two hour wait to get in?
- dceited
  
  The woman drawing the plant works at the Botanical Garden. It wasn’t just a random person. 😉
  - stinky
    
    Fair enough.
LE in VA

Pretty sure it is in all “his” beauty….. (Amorphophallus titanum)
lemeow

“His/her”…how do you know it’s not “they” or “xe”? Did you ask for the plant’s preferred pronouns? Ha.
- LE in VA
  
  Well, the meaning of the Latin name gives a hint, but good point.
  - SH
    
    The USBG botanist told us that this particular corpse flower is named Charlotte. No joke!
    - Prince Of Petworth
      
      aha – thank you!! 🙂
jumpingjack

I saw it yesterday evening, it’s really beautiful. Like a swirling skirt.
.
We got there at 7:30. The line went east from the door of the USBG, turned down First to Independence, down Independence to Third where it ended halfway up the block to Maryland Ave. It took 40 minutes for us to get in. At 9 pm the line wrapped at least all of the way back down Maryland to First.
- Kate
  
  I don’t care enough to do anything more than look at pictures of it, but it’s cool that this plant is getting so many people to visit the Botanical Gardens. They really are a gem.
Ampersand

Thought I would wait out the crowds and hit it late last night, and I was WRONG. Showed up at 9:50pm, and the line went from the entrance to 1st, to Independence, to 3rd, up Maryland to 1st again, and halfway down that block too. I’m guessing it was half a mile long. Waited until 10:30, made it halfway down Maryland, then gave up. There was an employee telling our section of line that we wouldn’t make it as soon as I arrived, but everyone around me (and behind me!!) was still holding out hope when I jumped ship. I was also amused to see that people had set lures on the plentiful PokeStops around the Garden, and there was a lot of Pokemon catching by line-standers.
.
Went back today at 12:15 and was inside within 5 minutes. I don’t think the display had faded at all. Pretty awesome, but I didn’t detect any stink.
- jumpingjack
  
  I was astonished at how long the line was at 9. We’d originally planned the same thing as you – to wait out the crowds too and go after dinner but decided to try it out at 7:30 (which I thought would be the busiest time). The line was twice as long at 9 as it was when we got there!
  .
  So glad it was easy to get into today!
sneezewort

Technically has both male and female parts, for what it’s worth. And now the Garbage song Androgyny is in my head because they’re in town tonight!
- LE in VA
  
  Ah, you are right, I now remember that I heard on the radio that it now has entered its non-stinky male phase, so it is a both (Latin name aside)!
Hill L

We got there shortly after 10 pm last night to try to catch it at peak stink, but we were too late–we held out to the bitter end, but never made it in. Got in line at 1st & Maryland and made it partway up Independence before they closed at 11 pm. Hey, it was a gorgeous night to be outside, the atmosphere was friendly, and we were feeling optimistic.
anon

Peak stink was actually in the middle of the day according to their website and my nose. They called it a rare daytime bloom. Since the smell only lasts a few hours I would assume that everyone that came late in the afternoon and evening smelled nothing.

I went at 10:30 am as soon as I heard it was blooming, not totally overwhelming but enough rotting cabbage smell to make you not want to hang out next to it for very long.
- jumpingjack
  
  It still had some stink left at 8:15 Tuesday evening. But I’d imagine it was all gone by Wednesday.
This is Awkward

So glad you could use the images! We all bolted from our office and got there at about 10:22am on the first day; waited under 10 minutes to get in. Early bird gets the (stinky) worm! 🙂
stegman

Of all the plants to refer to as “she” you choose the corpse flower? Take a look at it. Still nothing? The scientific name is “amorphophallus titanium.”

Subscribe to our mailing list