The world is crazy about weird things. This has been proven by the global public that people go crazy over the weirdest things. The popular ‘JCB ki khudai’ meme has become popular as people line up to watch a digger dig a road in India. Now another strange craze is causing long queues in Australia’s Geelong region. Cause: the putrid-smelling ‘corpse flower’, scientifically known as ‘corpse flower’Amorphophallus Titanium‘.

The flower has begun to bloom for the first time since its arrival at the Geelong Botanical Gardens in 2021. Often referred to as ‘Titan Arum’, this unusual plant is famous for its smell resembling that of rotting meat. Smell serves a very important purpose: attracting pollinators, such as insects and flies, that are attracted to the smell of rotting flesh.

For those playing at home, it’s fair to say there’s been overwhelming interest in Geelong’s so-called corpse plant, or ‘amorphophallus titanum’. It blooms once every ten years and lasts only 24-48 hours. Those who leave the botanical gardens report dry retching. pic.twitter.com/0zYExprGcm

— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) November 11, 2024

Read on to see a time-lapse video of the blooming flower below.

The Corpse Flower Blooms: A Rare Event

The blooming of the corpse flower was a highly anticipated event due to its unpredictable nature, occurring only every seven to 10 years and lasting only 24 to 48 hours. When it bloomed on November 11, it attracted a huge crowd of nearly 5,000 visitors on the first day alone. Many participants expressed both fascination and disgust at the overwhelming smell, with descriptions ranging from “like a dead possum” to “a stinky pond.”

Geelong Botanical Gardens has extended visiting hours to accommodate the large influx of visitors wanting to see rare flowers. Officials even organized a live broadcast for those who could not attend in person. The live broadcast of the event attracted tens of thousands of curious viewers from around the world. The combination of anticipation and community participation surrounding the event created a lively atmosphere in the gardens.

The corpse flower is not just a curiosity. It is also an endangered species. Native to Indonesia’s Sumatran rainforest, its population has declined due to habitat destruction due to deforestation and agricultural expansion. Currently, only a few hundred of these plants remain in the wild, and they are legally protected in Indonesia. Geelong Botanical Gardens strives to cultivate this species and highlight the vital role botanical gardens play in the conservation and education of rare plant species.

For those who can’t smell it, watch Cosmo’s corpse flower bloom

Thousands of people flocked #ColoradoState Over Memorial Day weekend to see a rare corpse flower during a bloom that has been eight years in the making.

Learn and see more pic.twitter.com/GPCmrqgsej

— Colorado State University (@ColoradoStateU) May 28, 2024

Ali Wastie, chief executive of the City of Greater Geelong, was quoted by news website CNN as saying: “The endangered Titan Arum is the largest carrion flower species and its protection is crucial as its natural population declines.” Carrion flowers are flowers that emit a bad smell.

Visitors return many times to observe the various stages of bloom. The initial opening of the frilled basal leaf eventually gives way to a long yellow spadix surrounded by a purple skirt-like structure.