Watch Video of World's Smelliest Flower Titan Arum Blooming at the Royal Botanic Garden in London

In a rare and captivating event, the world’s smelliest plant, the Titan arum, has begun flowering at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. 

This remarkable botanical occurrence, known for its foul odor reminiscent of rotting flesh, has drawn attention from visitors and enthusiasts alike since it began blooming on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.

The Titan arum, scientifically named *Amorphophallus titanum*, is renowned for its towering height of up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) and its fleeting bloom period of less than 48 hours. 

Nicknamed the "corpse flower," it releases a pungent scent to attract pollinators, primarily beetles and flies, that are typically drawn to the aroma of decomposing organic matter.

Rare giant 'corpse flower' blooms in London — The titan arum, one of the world's smelliest plants, has bloomed at London’s Kew Gardens. The plant can take up to 12 years to bloom, and its smell, often likened to rotting flesh, helps to lure pollinatorspic.twitter.com/xWcNwmGwqJ

— Alfons López Tena 🦇 (@alfonslopeztena) June 20, 2024

Interestingly, the Titan arum’s flowering cycle is incredibly slow and unpredictable. 

It can take up to 12 years for a plant to gather enough energy to produce its first flower, with subsequent bloomings occurring every few years thereafter. 

The last time this specific plant at Kew Gardens bloomed was in September 2021, making the current flowering a highly anticipated event among botanists and visitors.

The history of Titan arum at Kew Gardens dates back over a century. 

The first recorded bloom of this species outside Sumatra occurred here in 1889, followed by another significant flowering attracting massive crowds in 1926, necessitating police intervention to manage the enthusiastic spectators.

What makes the current blooming even more extraordinary is the simultaneous flowering of another Titan arum at Kew just last week. 

This rare coincidence allowed horticulturists at Kew Gardens to employ a unique procedure. 

Typically, pollen from the Titan arum is hand-collected, frozen, and stored for future use in hand-pollinating other flowers. 

However, with two plants flowering in quick succession, pollen from the first flower was utilized to pollinate the second, ensuring the continuation of this rare species in cultivation.

A corpse flower, one of the world's rarest and smelliest plants, bloomed at London's Kew Gardens on Tuesday.

Each plant takes several years to produce a flower and is then in bloom for less than 48 hours. pic.twitter.com/xohbFvCs9P

— ABC News (@ABC) June 19, 2024

For those unable to witness this remarkable event in person, videos capturing the Titan arum’s blooming process have surfaced online, offering viewers a glimpse into the fascinating world of botanical marvels. 

The Titan arum not only showcases the wonders of nature’s diversity but also highlights the dedication of institutions like Kew Gardens in conserving and studying rare plant species.

As enthusiasts and researchers continue to study the Titan arum and its ecological significance, the blooming at Kew Gardens serves as a reminder of the beauty and complexity found in the natural world, inviting viewers to marvel at its unique attributes and understand its crucial role in the ecosystem.