An Amorphophallus titanum or titan arum, commonly known as the corpse flower, has bloomed at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra for the first time.

The 15-year-old plant started unfurling its 135 centimetre-tall flower spike on Saturday afternoon, emanating a putrid stench described by some as smelling like “dead rat”.

The bloom is expected to start collapsing by Monday afternoon and will gradually return to a dormant state as an underground corm.

  • Dimand
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    13 days ago

    Agreed. Have smelt far worse on the farm. We were there at 2ish and one of the staff was saying it was a lot more potent in the morning and yesterday evening.