Watch Live: Rare Corpse Flower Blooming Now
Vancouver, Washington – A rare flower has started to bloom on the Washington State University campus in Vancouver. University officials say the plant started blooming at 8pm last night and the bloom will last only 24-to-48-hours. It’s called the “Corpse Flower” named for its putrid smell when it blooms. Professor Steve Sylvester had the flower in a pot on its desk and as it grew he moved it outside to a public place on the campus. He says they’re expecting up to 30-THOUSAND people to show up on campus to watch the bloom and smell the scent.
KXL’s Rosemary Reynolds snapped these beautiful photos:
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Titan VanCoug, as it is known on campus, is currently on display outside the greenhouse at the east end of the Science and Engineering Building. The corpse flower is infamous for its odor—comparable to that of a decomposing animal. The bloom is emitting odor that will last 24 to 48 hours. You may view this this rare plant 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. weekdays. Or check in on Titan VanCoug any time via webcam at https://www.youtube.com/
About the corpse flower
The corpse flower (Latin name Amorphophallus titanum, also known as titan arum) is native to the limestone hills of Sumatra, Indonesia’s rainforests, the only place in the world where it naturally grows.
They are among the world’s largest and rarest flowering structures. They bloom rarely—typically after seven to 10 years of growth and just once every four years or so afterward throughout a 40-year expected lifespan.
A corpse flower’s odor is not without reason. It’s meant to attract pollinators and help ensure the continuation of the species. Dung beetles, flesh flies and other carnivorous insects that typically eat dead flesh are attracted to the corpse flower.
About Titan VanCoug
Titan VanCoug has been raised by Associate Professor of Molecular Biosciences Steve Sylvester. He planted a seed from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s titan arum plant, affectionately named Big Bucky, in 2002. He cultivated it in a pot on his desk until it grew too large to contain in such a small space. It has grown in a stairwell in WSU Vancouver’s Science and Engineering Building for some time.
About WSU Vancouver
WSU Vancouver is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave. in Vancouver, east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205, or via C-TRAN bus service. Parking is available at meters and in the Blue Daily Pay lot for $4; after 5 p.m. $2. Parking is free after 7 p.m. weekdays and on weekends.