Corpse flower

Cockrell Butterfly Center, Houston Museum of Natural Science

This is a hugely cropped phone photo, but I couldn't resist posting a picture of something called a corpse flower. I had never heard of it! My son said it made the news in Houston when it bloomed. It only stinks for a short time, and the smell had passed by the time we saw it.

For better pictures: https://www.usbg.gov/gardens-plants/corpse-flowers

[katy]

Wow! It is huge! I think I have heard of it before, but I have never seen it

[Lou Ann]

It is so big! I’ve heard of these but have never seen one. Thank you.

[marie-elizabeth]

Oh my gosh, it made the news when the one in the U.S. Botanic Garden in D.C. bloomed a few years ago too! The garden stayed open until 10 p.m. a few nights so people could see it! They had vials of the smell (putrid!) since we couldn’t get super close to it. My son and I went in one of the nights and had so much fun.

[Diane]

@wiesnerbeth Fun! We couldn't get close to this one, either, and it was fun to see all the kids sniffing the air to see if any trace of the smell was left. Of course, their older sisters were all saying "Eeww!'

[Delwyn Barnett]

I have heard of these! Fascinating.

[PhotoCrazy]

I've heard of it! NIce pic!

[Ann H. LeFevre]

I have heard of these. Apparently they live up to their name, smelling like a body decomposing. I'd rather see it after the smell had passed! Good catch.