TITAN ARUM

Amorphophallus titanum , known as the titan arum, is a flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. The titan arum's inflorescence is not as large as that of the talipot palm. 

Due to its odor, which is like the smell of a rotting animal, the titan arum is characterized as a carrion flower, and is also known as the corpse flower, or corpse plant . For the same reason, the title corpse flower is also attributed to the genus Rafflesia which, like the titan arum, grows in the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia.

WHY IT SMELLS SO BAD?

As the spathe gradually opens, the spadix releases powerful odors to attract pollinators, insects which feed on dead animals or lay their eggs in rotting meat. The potency of the odor (aroma) gradually increases from late evening until the middle of the night, when carrion beetles and flesh flies are active as pollinators, then tapers off towards morning. It smells to  limburger cheese, rotting fish, sweaty socks, sweet floral scent,  Chloraseptic, and  human feces.

 

DISTRIBUTION

Amorphophallus titanum is native solely to western Sumatra,  where it grows in openings in rainforests on limestone hills. The plant is cultivated by botanic gardens and private collectors around the world.

BY MARCOS DELGADO