The countdown has begun for the flowering of the largest and smelliest plant species in the world, a highly anticipated event for plant lovers. The titan arum in Meise Botanical Garden just outside Brussels is expected to bloom any time now.
The Botanical Garden in Meise (Plantentuin van Meise), one of the largest botanical gardens in the world located just north of the Atomium, confirmed on Thursday that the flowering of a titan arum or Amorphophallus titanum is expected to take place soon, marking the 17th time that the plant has bloomed in Belgium.
"This invariably makes for spectacle. With every bloom, the star of the Botanical Garden attracts thousands of visitors who come to admire the largest 'flower' in the world," the Botanical Garden stated.
The titan arum flourishing in 2020. Credit: Belga / Laurie Dieffembacq
Although a beauty to behold, the titan arum is also known for its very distinct and strong smell of rotting flesh, which is why Indonesians call it the 'corpse plant'. The smell is meant to attract insects.
The flowering plant can grow to a height of three metres and has the largest unbranched inflorescence — a flower structure that consists of a cluster of smaller individual flowers — in the world.
It only grows wild in the tropical forests of Sumatra, where deforestation for palmful plantations and logging is posing a strong threat to its existence. "Its flowering is therefore a prime opportunity to highlight the threats facing its natural habitat," the statement read.
The full bloom usually lasts just two to three days. The Botanical Garden in Meise usually keept its doors open longer during the blooming period so more people can visit the spectacle.
