Smelly monster ‘corpse’ flower in bloom in Brussels

A Titan Arum, one of the world’s largest, rarest and smelliest flowers, is in bloom in a Brussels hothouse for the third time in five years in a rare botanical feat for a plant that generally goes years without blooming.

Variously known as a “corpse flower” in Indonesia where first found, or “huge deformed penis” under its scientific name, Amorphophallus titanum, the strange but spectacular specimen began to bloom on Sunday in the national botanical gardens, the Jardin de Meise, on the outskirts of the Belgian capital.

“Flowering is very brief, three days at the very most. Afterwards it will die and it’ll be several years before it blooms again,” the spokesman for the gardens Franck Hidvegi said.

The plant, which looks a little like a giant ear of corn until the red-rimmed flower opens leaving a stench of rotting flesh or fish, stood 244cm high Monday, attracting crowds.

Endangered in its natural habitat of the Sumatra tropical forest, Titan Arum is generally in flower every four or five years.