Amorphophallus titanum (Araceae)
Origin: Sumatra, Indonesia
For those that don’t know, Amorphophallus titanum has a reputation for being the largest and smelliest flower in the world. And while the term “flower” isn’t exactly correct (more on that in a minute) the “smelliest” part sure is. The bloom is a carrion mimic, reeking of rotting flesh and bloated corpses, in an attempt to attract the flesh flies and carrion beetles which serve to pollinate it. Hailing from the hot and steamy jungles of Sumatra, individuals only bloom every 5-7 years, and they can be few and far between where they occur in nature. They need to attract pollinators in the most effective way possible, and the equatorial jungle thrives on decay.
What looks by all accounts to be a huge flower is, in fact, not a single flower, but the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, containing thousands of flowers. Like all members of the Aroid Family (which include your houseplant anthuriums and philodendrons), Amorphophallus blooms consist of a spathe and a spadix. The spathe is like a sheath, or in this case, a large green-turning burgundy-purple “petal.” The spadix is the source of the name Amorphophallus, which means “giant misshapen phallus.” The spadix of A. titanum can reach well over two meters tall, protruding high above the spathe like a giant…finger. The top portion of the spadix is creamy white and bears no flowers; the flowers are all near the bottom, hidden to our view by the spathe. At the very base of the structure are the female flowers, which are receptive to pollination the first evening the plant blooms and the next day or so. As the spadix begins to wilt and the female flowers lose receptivity, the male flowers, located just above them, open and extrude their pollen in thin strands. All the while, the whole deal is swarming with insects, with the idea that these same insects have recently visited another corpse flower, or will soon visit another corpse flower, or both.
These plants rarely flower, in the wild or in cultivation. The plant itself consists of a large subterranean corm which each year produces either a single leaf, or an inflorescence, and never both at the same time. Most years it’s a leaf, which grows to the size and shape of a small palm tree. This leaf will photosynthesize for months, pumping starch into the corm. Once the corm is large enough the plant will bloom and set seed if a mate is in the neighborhood.
These are short-lived blooms which release their characteristic stench the most disgustingly on the first day, so keep your eyes on our website and Facebook page for the latest updates. Do not miss it. This is like a solar eclipse of the botanical world.
Text by David Troxell