CLEVELAND — The corpse flower, one of the weirdest plants on Earth, is set to bloom soon at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and release its disgustingly fragrant odor of death.
The plant Titan Arum, known as the corpse flower, is native to the island of Sumatra. The plant spends years gathering energy before it blooms and releases a smell like death, literally. The scent is a gnarly combination akin to something like mixing Limburger cheese, garlic, rotting flesh and smelly feet together. You get the idea—it's absolutely gross. The plant only blooms for around 24 hours, so the stench doesn't stick around for long. While in bloom, the plant generates heat, around 90 degrees, and its odor attracts fresh flies and carrion beetles for pollination, according to Britannica.com
This will be the fifth time in the last quarter century that the Cleveland Zoo's plant has bloomed. The last time was in July 2019.
The zoo doesn't know an exact bloom date but will provide updates on its Facebook page.
If you want to see the plant in person, it's outdoors next to the rhino habitat, the zoo said.
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