ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A flower that is known for a smell that mimics rotten flesh recently bloomed at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
On Monday, the Missouri Botanical Garden announced a unique Amorphophallus titanum, better known as a Corpse Flower, has recently bloomed at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The bloom, Millie, is the Garden’s 15th corpse flower bloom.
The bloom was a gift from Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, with Millie being a sibling to “Horace,” a corpse flower that recently bloomed at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The flower, native to Indonesia, is a fast-growing plant in the aroid family. The plant is known for it's intense, foul odor emitted from a tall spike of small flowers. The smell and plant coloration mimicking rotting flesh to attract pollinators such as flies.
The plant is listed as Endangered in the wild according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Species.
A titan arum can take five to 10 years to grow from seed until it is ready for its first bloom.
Those who want to take a look to meet Millie can head to the Linnean House at the Garden. The Garden will be open for free viewings from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Visitors can also view the plant in the Linnean House conservatory during regular Garden hours.
The Garden warns they expect a high volume of visitors and the wait to view the corpse flower may be lengthy.