If you’ve ever wanted to see – and smell – one of the weirdest wonders in the natural world, now’s your chance.
The famous Corpse Flower, officially known as Amorphophallus titanum, is blooming right now at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino. But don’t wait – the bloom only lasts about 24 to 48 hours, and the clock is ticking.
Nicknamed “Green Boy” for its unusually green spadix (that’s the tall, fleshy spike at the flower’s center), this particular plant last bloomed in 2021. Its return is once again drawing curious crowds ready to witness – and brave the stench of – this rare botanical spectacle.
Why the fuss? Well, it’s not every day you get to experience a 6-foot-tall tropical plant that smells like rotting meat. That smell isn’t just for shock value – it’s the flower’s strategy for attracting pollinators like flies and beetles in the wild. The scent has even earned it the nickname “Stinky Plant.”
Native to the rainforests of western Sumatra, Indonesia, the Titan Arum is endangered, with fewer than 1,000 plants believed to be left in the wild. Its bloom is unpredictable and short-lived – some plants go years, even decades, without flowering.
Since 1999, The Huntington has hosted more Corpse Flower blooms than any other institution in the western U.S., with “Green Boy” marking their 28th. Visitors can check it out during regular garden hours (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or catch it on the livestream at huntington.org/corpse-flower.
The Huntington’s botanical team is also using this bloom as a chance to talk about conservation. Staff hand-pollinate the flower and collect seeds to share with other institutions, helping keep the species alive both in greenhouses and, hopefully, in the wild.
So yes, it stinks. But it’s also stunning, strange, and seriously rare – and you’ve only got a day or two to see it in action.
Bring your curiosity – and maybe a clothespin for your nose.