The Stinkiest Flower in the World

There are certain things a 6-year-old child never forgets.

Tell them that the stinkiest flower in the world is about to bloom and release its horrible stink at the nearby Huntington Library and Gardens, and they will relentlessly ask you daily: “Can we go see the stinky plant TODAY?” Certain thoughts are indelibly stamped in a child’s mind.  And woe be unto you if somehow you fail to take them to see it.

Soriya (left) and Sreynary in front of the plant. Soriya’s face explains it all.

The plant in question is the Amorphophallus titanum, or Titan Arum.  Colloquially known as the Corpse Flower, it releases, upon blooming,  a foul odor similar to that of rotting meat.  From a botanist’s standpoint, the stench is intended to attract sweat bees to come and pollinate its flowers during its short 2-3 day bloom period. But were my granddaughters budding botanists? No, they were just interested in the smell rivaling that of the poop in their toilet. The flower farts!

However, it was I who almost became the stinky one in my granddaughters’ eyes.  The bloom almost never happened, which would have caused severe disappointment for my granddaughters, and a sullied reputation for me.  The last time that the Corpse Flower bloomed at the Huntington Gardens was in 2014.  After four years, the Huntington hinted through a public announcement that perhaps this was the year it would bloom again.  They were almost sure of it.  They said they would announce again when they actually saw it bloom. So I told Soriya and Sreynary about it, much to their excitement.

So we waited.  And waited. And waited.

I checked the website daily.  After a very long wait, the Huntington’s website sadly announced that this was going to be another year that the plant would not bloom; it wasn’t going to happen.  I was disappointed.  I told the news to a sad faced Soriya and Sreynary. Life went back to its usual routine. I stopped checking the Huntington Garden web site.

About a week later, though, I received a text message from a friend: “It’s happening!”

I checked the website.  The flower’s caretakers had miscalculated.  It was blooming NOW! And it may fade within a day.  The time to see it was— this very moment!!  And so– to the children’s surprise, as soon as they got home from school, the whole family spontaneously headed off to the gardens in Pasadena.

And– boy– did it stink!

Sreynary is delighted in finally getting to the plant.

 

1 comment

    • Catherine on August 27, 2018 at 7:34 pm
    • Reply

    You’re a great story teller!

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