The Botanical Garden in Meise (Plantentuin van Meise), just outside of Brussels, has announced that the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) is flowering, marking the 17th time that the plant has bloomed in Belgium.
Coincidence or not, the highly anticipated event of the plant's flowering began on 22 May – International Biodiversity Day. Visitors can go and see the spectacular plant in Meise, one of the largest botanical gardens in the world – located just north of the Atomium.
"It is a whopper of a plant with a height of no less than 217 cm. As flowering lasts only 72 hours, the Botanical Garden will be open for longer hours today and tomorrow," a press release by the Botanical Garden stated.
While the titan arum is a beautiful plant, it is mainly known for its very distinctive and strong smell of rotting flesh. The species only grows in rainforests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where the population has taken to calling it the "corpse plant".
Titan arum in bloom. Credit: Belga / Laurie Dieffembacq
As the plant's flower only blooms for a short period, the strong smell is meant to attract insects and pollinators as quickly and effectively as possible. The arum has the largest unbranched inflorescence – a flower structure that consists of a cluster of smaller individual flowers – in the world.
As deforestation for palmful plantations and logging is posing a strong threat to its existence in Sumatra, the flowering is "a prime opportunity to highlight the threats facing its natural habitat," the press release read.
As large numbers of visitors from all over Belgium come to view the plant in bloom every year, the Botanical Garden will exceptionally also be open on Wednesday 22 May until 19:30 (last entry at 18:30) and on Thursday 23 May until 22:00 (last entry at 21:00).
Evening tickets are not available online, but only at the entrance. Those with a 'Friends Card of Botanic Garden Meise' will not need a ticket and can simply enter through the automatic gates with their card.
