World's Smelliest Flower Finally Blooms in DC

You have less than 48 hours to get a whiff of the 'corpse flower'

By Kate Seamons

Posted Jul 22, 2013 6:51 AM CDT

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World's Smelliest Flower Finally Blooms in DC — This photo provided by the U.S. Botanic Garden shows Titan arum, a giant rainforest plant that has been dubbed the "corpse flower" for its terrible smell, as it starts blooming Sunday, July 21, 2013. ((AP Photo/U.S. Botanic Garden))

When we last reported on the titan arum, a flower known to smell like a "very dead elephant," Americans were pouring into the US Botanic Garden in DC in hopes of seeing the "corpse flower" in its stinky glory. The wait is finally over. The AP reports that the flower, which it describes as smelling "oddly like rotting flesh," started to bloom yesterday afternoon.

"Peak smell" should arrive early today, and the flower will likely bloom no more than two days; the garden has extended visiting hours to accommodate those looking for a smelly whiff. This 5-foot 7-inch specimen has been growing since 2005.

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