Bloom watch is on at the Smithsonian Gardens for another corpse flower.
The corpse flower is having a big summer in D.C. The third flower in three months is set to bloom in the next few days at the Smithsonian Gardens on the National Mall. The giant plant gets its name from the rotting corpse smell that emanates from the bloom.
The flower is currently located outside the Smithsonian Castle in the Enid A. Haupt Garden next to the building. Visitors can stop by and see progress on the bloom daily from dawn until dusk.
Once the flower blooms, it only stays open for 24 to 36 hours and won't bloom again for anywhere from two to 10 years.
The scientific name for the corpse flower is Amorphophallus titanum and it is native to Sumatra, Indonesia. In the center of the plant is a large stalk that is actually a petal that grows up to ten feet tall. The bottom of the plant is surrounded by a ring of flowers. The rotting flesh smell of the flower attracts carrion-eating bugs and flies that actually serve to pollinate the plant. The corpse flower tends to bloom in the afternoon and stay open throughout the night.
Two corpse flowers have already bloomed in D.C. this summer at the United States Botanic Conservatory and another plant belonging to the conservatory bloomed in Philadelphia. A 9-year-old plant bloomed on June 2 and a 16-year-old plant bloomed for the fourth time on July 5. According to the U.S. Botanic Garden, the current plant in the Smithsonian Gardens is expected to reach peak bloom on August 12.
You can see the plant and get updates on its progress by visiting the Smithsonian Gardens' Instagram.
