WINFIELD — A rare titan arum, commonly known as the corpse flower, is expected to bloom this week inside the greenhouse at Southwestern College.
According to biology professor and greenhouse supervisor Max Thompson, the plant could bloom as early as Wednesday. The titan arum is known for producing a powerful odor often compared to the smell of a dead mammal, earning it the nickname “corpse flower.”
Thompson said only three to four of the plants bloom in the United States each year. The last titan arum bloom at Southwestern occurred in July 2020. The same plant also bloomed in 2014, placing it on what has become a six-year bloom cycle at the college.
The Southwestern College Greenhouse, located north of the Beech Science Center and Mossman Hall, will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for visitors wanting to see — and smell — the unusual plant.
Native to western Sumatra in Indonesia, the titan arum uses its foul odor to attract blowflies and carrion beetles that pollinate the flower. Once open, the bloom typically lasts about 24 hours, with the center spadix beginning to deteriorate shortly afterward. Continue below ad.
Southwestern will begin livestreaming the flower’s progress Monday on its YouTube channel and will provide updates through its Facebook page.
“It is a rare event to bloom this plant as it takes years for the corm to get large enough to produce a flower,” Thompson said.
After blooming, the plant can take five to 10 years to store enough energy for another flowering cycle. During that time, it produces a single massive leaf that can resemble a small tree and reach heights of 15 to 20 feet.
