Huntington Gardens: Countdown to the stinky flower bloom
The corpse flower, aka Amorphophallus Titanum, is poised to bloom this week. It measured more than 4 feet Aug. 17 at the Huntington Gardens. (Tom Politeo / For the Times)
The plant’s predicted bloom time is Aug. 20-23. And that’s when the big stink happens too. A smell like rotting flesh is one of the plant’s calling cards. (Tom Politeo / For the Times)
A closeup of the spadix (middle part) and the spathe (crinkly part). The Titan Arum, as it’s called, has bloomed just four times since 1999. This will mark the fifth event. (Tom Politeo / For the Times)
Visitors who come to see and smell the corpse plant can learn about its unusual life cycle, and its humble beginnings from something called a corm. (Tom Politeo / For the Times)
The leaves of the corpse flower that appear when the plant isn’t blooming. (Tom Politeo / For the Times)
One of the plants bloomed in June at the botanical garden in Nantes, France. Tourists snap pictures of that Titan Arum on June 30. (Jean-Sebastien Evrard / AFP/Getty Images)
