Bangkok: Crowds flocked to The Huntington Botanic Garden near Los Angeles on Monday as two giant corpse flowers, commonly known as "corpse flowers," began blooming simultaneously in a rare display. The giant amorphophallus flower, an endangered plant, is famous for the strong, pungent smell it emits during blooming to attract pollinators such as scavengers and flies.
According to Thai News Agency, the blooming of each flower, lasting only 24 to 48 hours, is one of the rarest and shortest-lived phenomena in the world of plants. This plant, native to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, blooms only once every two to three years, making each bloom a rare opportunity for the general public to witness. Eric De Leon, an orchid expert at The Huntington Botanic Gardens, revealed that the corpse flower has helped raise public interest in nature conservation and has generated enthusiasm among visitors, some of whom have taken time off work to see this rare bloom.
Orchid experts also explained that this flower does indeed have a very foul odor. This strong smell is intended to attract pollinating insects, including carrion beetles and green flies, which are drawn in by the scent and help pollinate the plant. Brandon Munoz, one of the visitors who revealed he had waited for years to see the corpse flowers bloom, described the smell as like a garbage can. Jennifer Hoang, 42, from San Gabriel, California, compared the smell of the flowers to that of foul-smelling animals.