UPDATE—WINNERS: Lucky 13…today has been declared official bloom date! Only guesses submitted by 2:00pm today June 13, 2012 will be taken in consideration. Email us at communications@moodygardens.com if we reply to your comment with “WINNER” to claim your prize. Thank you all for your guesses!
Morticia, the Corpse Flower, looks like she’s ready for her bloom! But without a set blooming season, it’s hard to predict when the Corpse Flower will bloom. So who “nose” when the Corpse Flower will bloom and begin its silent and smelly flowering? The first 20 people to guess correctly will win a free ticket to the Rainforest Pyramid to see Morticia!
A Corpse Flower bloom occurs when the spadix, the long, French bread-like stem, emerges from the bud. At that point, the flower will grow four to six inches a day and the strong smell will start to roll in. The strong smell that is similar to rotting flesh attracts its pollinators, carrion beetles and sweat flies. It is considered the largest flowering plant in the world, often reaching heights of over 10 feet tall. Technically, it is the largest unbranched inflorescence, containing both male & female flowers.
The Corpse Flower grows from an underground tuber which can weigh up to 200 pounds. From this tuber, a large single leaf emerges resembling a small tree that can grow to more than 20 feet tall. During this vegetative state, the tuber gains its energy to produce the massive bloom. The plant then goes into a dormant period for approximately three months. The tuber will then either produce another leaf or a flower as it has at Moody Gardens.
Once fully unfurled, the flower will only last for a day or two. Then the flower collapses upon itself and withers away. The tuber will then go into a dormant period, resting and gaining energy, eventually sending up another tree trunk-like stalk, beginning the incredible process all over again!
The Corpse Flower is under threat of extinction in the wild due to illegal logging and the clearing of rain forest land for cultivation of oil palm plantations. It is our hope that interest in and appreciation of our Earth’s amazing plants and animals will lead to increased efforts at conserving the habitats of these and other rare species.
CONTEST RULES:
Use the information we’ve provided above as well as Morticia’s growth progress, which we update frequently on our Facebook & Twitter, to guess the exact date that she will bloom. Our horticultural exhibit manager, Donita Brannon, will declare the official bloom date. Here are the rules:
- Leave your guess in the comments section of this post or tweet us your guess @Moody_Gardens with hashtag #MorticiaContest
- Only one guess per person.
- Contest open until flower starts to bloom
- First 20 people to guess correctly will win two (2) tickets to the Rainforest Pyramid®
- Only people who guess the EXACT date determined by our horticultural exhibit manager will win
While you’re at it, why not go ahead and like us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Inc. Any comments that are inappropriate, offensive, spam or commercial in nature can be deleted by the page admin. Must be 18 years or older to win.
Tags: corpse flower, endangered, Galveston, galveston island, Moody Gardens, Morticia, plants, Rainforest, Rainforest Pyramid, Rare flowers, Stinky Flower
my guess is june 20th 2012
July 26, 2012 is my guess of when it will bloom.
My guess of when it will bloom july 4th 2012
My guess for her to bloom is June 13, 2012
I guess June 21, 2012
My guess is June 9th!
2012
My guess is June 26, 2012
My guess is June 17, 2012
June 17, 2012
june 14th
June 16, 2012
July 1, 2012
June 23, 2012
June 9th
June 8th
June 13th
My guess is that she will bloom on June 29th. (ish) ha!
My guess is it will bloom June 30th
My guess is …. June 13
My guess is my Birthday….June 7th
My Guess is June 27th
June 10th…My wedding anniversary!!!
June 29 is guess
June 21,2012
How about our 31st wedding anniversary: June 20th, 2012.
June 25th, 2012.
July 26, 2012
June 10, 2012
June 10th! 2012
My guess is that she will bloom on July 4th
June 20th…. Summer solstice!
My guess is June 18, 2012.
June 11th is my guess.
June 10, 2012
My guess is June 12, 2012.
June 21 is my guess
June 17th – late afternoon
My father’s birthday 19 June.
Jun 12
[...] Morticia is in the middle of her bloom cycle and is expected to reach full bloom (and full stink) within a week or two. Moody Gardens might not have the anonymous Twitter feed feeding the curiosity of thousands upon thousands of people, but it does have a web cam up to watch the progress of Morticia. There also is a contest to guess the exact bloom date. (Check out those details here) [...]
Morticia will bloom June 23, 2012.
Mortica will bloom June 20, 2012.
Hoping Morticia will bloom for my son’s first birthday, July 1, 2012.
July 2, 2012
I think June 15, 2012, our 33rd wedding anniversary, Morticia will bloom!
June 25, 2012
June 19th 2012
I think this is awesome. Saw the plant last week and interested in watching it’s cycle. I think it will bloom on June 22nd
My guess is June 23rd 2012
June 21, at 6:30pm