This plant may be available to buy
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'Mr.Stinky' click pic to enlarge |
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Zone 10+
Amorphophallus means 'shapeless phallus' and you can see from the pic how that name was selected The Titan Arum sports the largest un-branched inflorescence in the world. This pic were taken at Fairchild Tropical Garden on May 16, 2001 (in full bloom) and reached a final height of 79.5 inches The plant information below is 'borrowed' from Fairchild's flyer The Titan was first discovered in Sumatra, Indonesia in 1878 by Dr. Odoardo Beccari. In its native lands blooms vary in size from 7-12 feet in height. A mature leaf could measure 20 feet in height and 15 feet in diameter. The Titan has been called "the greatest superstar of the botanical world." The name 'Mr. Stinky' refers to the highly malodorous stench of the bloom. It is said to be like "rotting elephant corpse" and other highly offensive images. On our visit, it did stink, but the major odor is expelled within 8 hours of bloom opening, and we missed that experience. The odor attracts pollinators Originally thought to die after blooming, this particular Titan is the first in the USA to bloom twice from the same plant. The bloom lasts only 2-3 days. The tuber which produced this amazing flower measured 20 inches in diameter and weighed 68 lbs. at planting September 2003 we went back and took these pictures of Stinky with seeds #1 #2 By the way, the fellow in the blue shirt was in charge of the Titan Here's a relative, Amorphophallus bulbifer |
