A giant corpse flower known as Morticia arrived Saturday in Moody Gardens in Galveston Island, Texas as this special flower not only possesses a rare exotic beauty but also a putrid, stench emitted as this flower blooms.

When a giant corpse flower blooms, biologists consider this as an extremely rare and incredible event, as this will mark only the second time it bloomed since 2012. A blooming period will occur for two to four days where visitors of the gardens will have a rare chance to take a whiff of this giant, tropical bloom.

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The Amorphophallus titanum is a native flower of Sumatra, Indonesia in Southeast Asia, where it is also considered extremely rare for the giant corpse flower to bloom even in its natural habitat, more so in gardens and cultivated environments. For Moody Gardens however, this will be the fifth giant corpse bloom ever for the entire state of Texas.

The schedule for visiting and viewing hours at Moody Gardens will begin on Thursday until Sunday from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. for guests to experience and celebrate its pungent yet strangely beautiful emergence. According to exhibit manager at Moody Gardens, Donita Brannon, we have been expecting her to bloom yesterday however nature is very unpredictable. 

The unfortunate name of the giant corpse flower comes from this unpleasant scent that the plant releases during its flowering stage. The smell is so powerful that it can be described as similar to rotting meat that is advantageous in attracting pollinators like beetles and flies. Biologists also consider this the largest flowering plant in the entire world, that can even reach heights of 10 feet. It is also technically considered as both male and female flower.

Due to its unpredictable blooming schedule, the flowers can bloom at any season and time of the year, ranging between two to 10 years, and sometimes, even never during its entire lifetime, making a giant corpse flower bloom an extremely exquisite yet, rancid smelly thing of beauty.

Tagsgiant corpse flower, corpse flower, Texas, moody gardens, corpse flower bloom