Crowds flock to smell World’s Stinkiest Flowers

Share to Google Classroom

In Geelong, Australia, thousands of visitors gathered to see the rare bloom of the “corpse flower,” known for its foul odour resembling rotting meat.

This massive plant, officially called the Titan Arum, flowers only once every seven to ten years and for just one or two days. The Geelong Botanic Gardens stayed open 24 hours during the event to accommodate over 20,000 curious onlookers.

Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, the corpse flower can grow up to three meters tall. It produces its stinky smell to attract pollinators like flies and beetles. Once the flower opens, the powerful odour lasts a short time before the bloom collapses.

Botanical experts explained that after the bloom ends, the plant begins storing energy for its next flowering, a process that can take nearly a decade. The event gave visitors a rare chance to experience one of nature’s most fascinating and smelly spectacles.

1
In 2023, 17.2 percent of New Zealand households had at...
1
A giant floating octopus artwork by well-known artist Lisa Reihana...
1
A miniature dachshund named Valerie has been rescued after surviving...
1
Starting in October, pet cats in Melbourne, Australia, must stay...
1
Monkeys may be better yodellers than humans, according to a...

World & National News

1
On Saturday, April 26, 2025, people from around the world...
1
Easter Sunday in 2025 was celebrated on April 20, following...
1
New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, told businesses in London...
1
Anzac Day was celebrated on the 25th April 2025. This...
1
Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, has died...