Call Wednesday and Pugsley as “Morticia,” the Giant Corpse Flower officially started to bloom this week. This is an extraordinary occurrence given that this is the second time for her to bloom. The first bloom was in June 2012! You now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and smell this rare flower at the Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid. The blooming schedule for this plant is very unpredictable, which is why a second bloom from the same flower is an extraordinary feat! With a short blooming period of 2 to 4 days, don’t miss your chance to enjoy this unique experience. She is expected to be in Full Bloom within the next week.

The Corpse Flower was first discovered in 1878 by an Italian plant explorer Odoardo Beccari. Upon initial discovery, the plant struck fear into Beccari’s team due to the plant’s tremendous size and smell. It was believed to be a man-eating plant. Beccari took seeds back to the botanical gardens in Florence, Italy and later sent seedlings to The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, England. The first recorded bloom of the Corpse Flower took place at Kew in 1889. Police had to be called in to control the crowds of people who came to see it.

The common name, Corpse Flower, originates from the unpleasant odor the plant emits during flowering. The strong smell and color are similar to rotting flesh, which 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.  Something that makes it so special is that not only is it rare in its native habitat, but also extremely rare in cultivation.

A mere 100 Corpse Flowers have bloomed in the United States since 1937 when the first bloom was recorded. The most recent was last month at the Chicago Botanical Garden in Illinois. Morticia’s bloom is only the fifth in the state of Texas. During Full Bloom, Moody Gardens Rainforest is offering extended hours until 10 p.m. for guests to experience this powerfully pungent and beautiful occurrence.

Watch Morticia LIVE on the #CorpseCam

 

*Morticia at full bloom in June 2012

Corpseflower