Rare 'Corpse Flower' blooms in Australia

A rare ‘corpse flower’ has bloomed in Australia and it’s a pretty big deal.

The specimen of the rare “corpse flower,” a phallic-shaped plant nearly 2 metres (7 feet) tall that gives off an odour similar to a rotting animal, has bloomed in a botanical garden in South Australia.

Thousands of visitors queued at the Mount Lofty Ranges botanic garden in Adelaide to see and smell the titan arum, which is characterised as a carrion flower and widely known as the corpse flower.

“Flowering events are rare because the plant is so difficult to cultivate, even in optimum conditions,” said horticultural curator of Mount Lofty, Matt Coulter.

“The fact the flower, and its signature stench, will only last around 48 hours before it collapses on itself, makes it a must-see event for plant lovers and curious souls alike,” added the expert.

The plant, from a seed donated in 2006, grew an average of 20 cm per day in recent weeks.

The corpse flower is native to the Sumatran rainforests in Indonesia and is an endangered plant due to deforestation of its habitats.

It is recognisable by its huge yellow spine and the potency of its stench.