Titan Arum Set to Stink Up Botanic Garden

Titan Arum Set to Stink Up Botanic Garden
http://hoh.rollcall.com/titan-arum-set-to-stink-up-botanical-garden/

By Warren Rojas
Posted at 12:27 p.m. on July 11

Staffers in need a break from the toxicity of partisan politicking and the now-daily downpours should boogie their way down to the Botanic Garden for a breath of not-so-fresh air: the manifestation of the infamous “corpse flower.”

The Titan Arum is set to bloom at the U.S. Botanic Garden no later then Saturday, July 13. The flower, which is from the rainforest of Indonesia, only blooms once in several years and can go as long as a decade before blooming. Once fully open, it will remain in bloom for 24 to 48 hours. The last time the garden had one bloom was in 2007. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call)

Per the USBG, the fabled flower, which breezed into town this morning, only blooms for around 48 hours.

But once it opens up, look out.

“Its putrid smell is most potent during peak bloom at night into the early morning. The odor is often compared to the stench of rotting flesh,” botanists warn, noting that the signature stink is like a beacon designed to “attract pollinators, such as dung and carrion beetles, from across long distances.”

Another government lie! I went to see it an hour ago. It is not yet in bloom. The blessed event will no doubt happen sometime in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Unlike last time, there was no one in line, surely because of the devastating heatwave DC is experiencing right now. I walked past it, in fact, thinking that a plant without a huge crowd or line nearby surely was not the plant I was looking for. It isn't tweeting, but it does have a live video stream.

http://www.usbg.gov/

http://www.usbg.gov/return-titan

I propose that it be named after the royal offspring.

ETA: There are many links at DU to others of these. The real name of the plant is Amorphophallus titanum.