Son of Stinky: return of the corpse flower

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When the gigantic Amorphophallus titanum (a.k.a. the corpse flower) bloomed at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in 1999, it caused a sensation. Nearly 76,000 tourists lined up in the August heat to get a whiff of the foul smelling flower — at the time only the 11th recorded bloom in the United States in 100 years.

A second flowering in 2002 was equally popular. (It should be noted that another corpse flower bloomed at the Fullerton Arboretum in 2006). Now, one of the famous corpse flower’s offspring is getting ready to make its debut.

Propagated from seed produced by the 1999 bloom, experts predict that ‘Son of Stinky’ will bloom sometime between June 10 and 15.

The Amorphophallus titanum, or Titan Arum, can reach more than six feet in height when it blooms, opening to a diameter of three to four feet. But the plant is perhaps most famous — or infamous — for its exceptionally foul odor.

Who needs roses when you can experience a plant that smells like rotting flesh?

-- Lisa Boone