I’ve had this plant a long time. I first got it in 1998 or so. I couldn’t bring it with me to Ireland, but I did take a cutting and brought it in sans soil. Lucky for me, it survived a month in the container in a jar of water and damp paper towel. Probably still illegal, but at least I didn’t bring any bugs or weird microbes in to the country. It’s a house plant, here, but is native to South Africa – as it seems a lot of my favourite plants are!
Oddly enough, after 11 years, this thing finally decided to bloom. Not that long ago, I gave it a good soaking, and a wash (the leaves are furry and collect a lot of cat hair), and I guess that finally sparked it into flowering. I won’t read anything into a corpse flower blooming the week my Spotty cat died.
First I noticed was that there was a huge balloon sticking out the side.
Stormtrooper mini-fig for size. We all know how big they are, right?
Then it opened.
Weird as hell, right? And it does, indeed, stink of death. Not that bad, really, unless you stick your face right in it. The scent and hairs are to mimic a dead animal, as this is a fly-pollinated plant. The texture of the bloom is very much like leather, too. This one started to shrivel today, so I cut it off. But there are several more coming, so I am taking better care of it than I usually do. It got another good soaking today.
If you want to learn more about this unique plant.
heretherebespiders 
You have a talent and love for plants. I admire that. Hugs
We had one of these bloom in the National Botanical Garden earlier this summer and there were innumerable gag Tweets about bodies actually being concealed there. No pictures this good though.
Really? I only took the one. Other things on my mind.
Congratulations – but I’m really glad it’s at your house!
It’s really not THAT bad. And I’m a super-smeller, too.
Me too, and anything even vaguely dead-smelling seems to stick in my nostrils for days… Does it bug you when you can smell something perfectly clearly and no-one else can and they look at you as if you’re bonkers?
Oh yes. I have my hates – onions and, believe it or not, toast. I hate the smell of toast. I’m a pain in the arse at work because I can smell smoke from a house next door inside our warehouse!
Papaya (how can people eat something that smells like vomit?). Any perfume by Calvin Klein (I’ve yet to determine what the ingredient is I detest, but it’s in all of them). Smoke – with you on that one, but I can smell it miles off. Hot milk – gross, just gross.
Oh god. My dad used to eat pickled herring, and the ultimate nasty, Limburger. I can’t abide the smell of mayonnaise either.
Because its a corpse flower, and it will attract flies… Have you considered trolling the flies and putting a couple of carnivorous plants nearby? B-)
Not that I am evil or anything!
Diabolical! I like it!
Stunning even if stinky
Think of it more as flower blooming after Spot’s death vs. what type of flower it is.
My first thought was of Vileplume 🙂
Vileplume sounds more like what comes out of human heineys 😆
Brilliant! Never seen one before.
I expected you would have! Too funny, my American Irish South African plant is a new one on you 🙂
You have a GREEN thumb! For some reason your new posts are NOT coming through…dang it. But at least I didn’t miss this one!
Linda
It looks like an alien creature – very cool! (People pay big money here to see these – and you have your own!)
Mine isn’t the huge one! But it is kinda repulsive:)
I have heard the first part said before by guys in the locker room but never the second part. 🙂 laughing hugs ( sorry watching too much trump news coverage, it is warping my mind )
That IS warped! You goof 🙂 Should I post some kitten pictures, take your mind off of the Orange Baboon?
Great Idea, I always knew you were the smart one. Hugs
I have to catch up with emails first, but will in a bit!