I just read a story in the Sacramento Bee about this corpse flower that is blooming right now. It sounds like a fascinating plant but after reading the description of the way it smells I'm glad that I'm just looking at pictures of it.
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/01/2863994/rare-corpse-flower-blooms-in-berkeley.html
Here's a link to the actual pictures on Berkeley's site.
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/root_images/whats_happening/Titan%20Arum%202010/Corpse_Flower.html
Pretty neat looking, but I wouldn't want to smell it. Thanks for posting the info, GardenSox. : - )
WIB,
SW
Gardensox - they have one of those in the UCD Botany greenhouse. When that one blooms, they open it up to the public. if you are interested, I'll let you know the next time it blooms. I work in UCD, and the building that I am in is not far from the greenhouse. I went the last time it bloomed, but it was on it's final stages so you have to get your nose really close to smell anything.
Soilsaandup - Thank you. Yes, definitely let me know next time it blooms. That would be great. It doesn't seem to be a pleasant smell but it would be fun to experience it.
When was the last time the one at UCD bloomed? From the little I've read, it sounds like the blooms can be several years apart and hard to predict when the next time will be. Is that your understanding too?
Do you know why they keep the ones at Berkeley in pots? Is that to make controlling the watering and feeding more precise?
This message was edited Jul 2, 2010 9:07 AM
They are pollinated by flies that is why the flower smells. It smells like rotting meat.
Gardensox - they actually had two plants blooming in 2009 in the UC Davis Botany greenhouse. They have several of those plants, so there is a good chance that in any one year, one might be blooming. Here is the link to the UCD
http://greenhouse.ucdavis.edu/conservatory/
There is a time-lapse link, but I have not had the chance to look at it yet.
That is so cool. Thanks for the link.
The UC Berkeley Botanic Garden has ANOTHER Corpse Flower due to open this weekend. Take a look here for info on Little Stinker: http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/root_images/whats_happening/Titan%20Arum%202010/Corpse_Flower.html
The Garden keeps its Corpse Flower plants in pots because we do not have enough room in the Tropical House to put them in the ground. In pots they can be moved to other greenhouses when they aren't in bloom or have a leaf.
Thanks faeden. Do you work at the UCB Botanic Garden?
You're welcome. Yes, I do volunteer work there. I propagate cacti & succulents for sale on the plant deck and at our spring and fall sales. Lots of fun, and really nice people!
