Rare Bloom Brings Long Lines, Pungent Smell To Golden Gate Park

Visitors at the Conservatory of Flowers view the Amorphophallus titanum, better known as "Terra the Titan."
Photo credit Jim Taylor/KCBS Radio

There's a pungent smell of death emanating from the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

It’s the Amorphophallus titanum, last blooming here three years ago. 

It can.

"I would say it smells really gross, like laundry," Troy added.

The conservatory is closed, but the death corpse flower is positioned at the front entrance, behind plexiglass. People are filing by, getting a good look and hoping for a just a sniff.