A Corpse Flower? Anyone seen it bloom?
@sirensanssmile (3764)
Netherlands
June 17, 2007 4:01pm CST
I was reading about the corpse flower today. I usually don’t get too much into flowers as they really aren’t my thing at all. In fact, I couldn’t be less interested in flowers. This one caught my attention because supposedly it smells like decomposing things. It exudes this odour for 8-12 hours at a time!
Ugh can you imagine being in the area of that thing! Supposedly the scent is rather over powering and over bearing. It is supposed to be tropical but they say they have one in North America.
To look at the thing it is quite a big fat flower! It almost looks like a huge mouth with a long tongue sticking straight out of it. The petals, if you want to call them that, are either a purple or a rose colour. Looking at the picture, makes me think of a big mouth with really bad breath! Heh
Has anyone seen this flower before?
8 people like this
16 responses
@Riptide (2758)
• United States
17 Jun 07
Yes I have heard of that flower and I believe I heard that, even though rare, they seem to be found in the north american region on occasion.
I did see a picture of it recently, but can't seem to find it now. Someone did have it posted in their gallery, but I can't remember who. Should I come across it again I will post it for you.
4 people like this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
20 Jun 07
I think it would be neat to see, but not so neat to smell. Maybe I could get one and plant it in the back of my house so that no one will ever want to come over anymore. heh
3 people like this
@KrazyKlingon (5005)
• United States
18 Jun 07
There was one that made big news somewhere within the last year, probably because it was a large tourist attraction when it bloomed. I cannot find that news article about it, but I do remember it saying in it somewhere, the reason for that scent was its way to protect itself from plant eaters.
3 people like this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
The flower could be used to protect you from unwanted Saturday morning door knockers as well. hey?
3 people like this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
18 Jun 07
I have only seen this flower on television, thank goodness. I know one should be open to all experiences but I have read and heard enough about this particular flower to know I never want to smell it!
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
19 Jun 07
Hmmm, maybe they could market it and call it "goodbye" or "good riddance" lol.
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
20 Jun 07
That would be hilarious. Hey maybe the odour could replace pepper sprays?
3 people like this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
Yeah I can't see them bottling the essance to make a new fragrence out of any time soon. That is for sure. :)
2 people like this
@professorxang (201)
• United States
17 Jun 07
it look like big ugly mouth with tongue that stink like rotting thing. i can imagine that it is not nice to be around but i think i would go around it to bother it. i would go shake it up or something like that.
2 people like this
@herrbaggs (1308)
• United States
18 Jun 07
Whats the big deal! every morning when I wake up I smell one and then see it when I look in the mirror.
2 people like this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
Heh heh Yeah right. Your imagination really runs away from you. :)
2 people like this
@HighReed1 (1126)
• United States
17 Jun 07
I have never seen one in person. I have heard of them before. I even saw one on an episode of CSI once.
I don't want to imagine being near one! YUCK! I guess it would be useful if you were trying to hide bodies, though...Or drive the neighbors away...LOL
3 people like this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
Hiding bodies and scaring off the neighbors are good uses for it seriously.
I think it may be able to be used to ward off people you don't want from coming around. Too bad it only blooms every once in a bit.
3 people like this
@pendragon (3350)
• United States
18 Jun 07
I have never heard of this flower but it definitely sounds worth looking up!Thanks ! I love to grow irises,and bleeding hearts.
1 person likes this
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
18 Jun 07
wow, i have never seen one only on tv. As far as i know the scent attracts flies who inadvertantly polonate the flower because they are searching for the rotting flesh on which to lay their eggs. However, by landing on it they pick up pollen and then on to the next flower
blessed be
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
20 Jun 07
It is a fascinating plant. I don't think I would want to use the scent of rotting things to attract insects personally, but then again Iam not a flower. heh :)
2 people like this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
They are supposed to be tropical flowers in Indonesia and places like that. However other countries have them for exhibits. I have heard they have some in North America. They only bloom once in while and supposedly the stench lasts 8-10 hours!
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85272)
• United States
18 Jun 07
I've never seen it in person, just on the internet and television. I would love to see it in person. I guess it is kind of a morbid fascination that makes me want to smell the aroma it gives. I have never smelled a decomposing body (thank God) so I wonder if I would recognize the smell. Maybe it is one of those smells where when you smell it, you know what it is.
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
Yeah I would say that it would trigger a morbid curiousity. However I don't think I would want to be around it.
4 people like this
@nancyrowina (3850)
•
18 Jun 07
I've never heard of it, I'm glad we don't get them in UK, I wonder what purpose it serves, is it carnivorous and trying to attract flies perhaps?
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
I am not sure that it is carnivorous. I think it has the scent to attract a certain pest to fertilise it. It also probably does well for scaring off the predators. That stench would certainly put me off!
2 people like this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
18 Jun 07
It would be kind of amuseing to see some unsuspecting pson's face when they sniff it. I think though with an odour like that it can probably be smelled for quite some distance though. Doesn't sound plesant.
2 people like this
@tdbrower1969 (1242)
• United States
18 Jun 07
I have never seen one in person, either, but one of the news stations did a documentary on the blooming of one I think in Florida. There were so many people there to witness it and to see it, I could not imagine going to see something that smells so bad. But, I guess it is a rare thing to see.
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
20 Jun 07
They probably shoed up with their cameras and their nose plugs. I would.
2 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
18 Jun 07
I'm not into flowers either but this doesn't sound like one I would want to have around my apartment! I'm going to have to check it out to see what it looks like.
1 person likes this
@sirensanssmile (3764)
• Netherlands
20 Jun 07
It's pretty big as well as stinky. It would probably keep theives away from your place though. heh
2 people like this
@oscarbartoni (2581)
• United States
18 Jun 07
Scientist think that the flower smells lie that so that the flies will pollinate the plant, instead of bees they use flies. Figs have to be pollinated by a type of wasp that gets imprisoned in the forming fruit. Without these wasp we would not have any figs to eat.
1 person likes this
