In 2015, a strange visitor took Colorado by storm, and this fall, it is back for another smelly run. Who is this mysterious stranger? No, it is not a politician, musician, or other kind of human celebrity, but Amorphophallus titanum. What is this Latin-named phenomenon? Let us investigate:
In August 2015, Denver was taken by storm, thanks to the blooming of the Amorphophallus titanum - more commonly known as the Corpse Flower.
Why is it called the Corpse Flower? Well, to put it plainly, it stinks. Unlike other, more pleasantly fragranced flowers, this one smells like decaying, rotten flesh.
Native to the rainforests of Indonesia, the Corpse Flower can reach a whopping 10 feet in height, though Colorado's beloved (and aptly-named) "Stinky" only grew to just over five feet.
In addition to their enormous size, these plants live long lives and are extremely slow to bloom - most don't even begin to do so until they are at least seven years old!
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Once the Corpse Flower opens up for the first time, it continues to do so every three to eight years after that.
While there's still a chance that Stinky won’t bloom this year, horticulturists at the Denver Botanic Gardens believe that there is a good chance it will in early to mid-September, with a peak odor time of only 24 hours.
In fact, the last time Stinky bloomed, many Coloradans stood in line for more than three hours just to get a quick whiff! If you plan to go and see what all the fuss is about, be prepared to wait!
If and when Stinky does bloom, Denver Botanic Gardens members are given the opportunity to enter the attraction at 8.m., an hour earlier than non-member visitors, who may enter at 9.m.
After you catch a whiff of the Corpse Flower, stay and explore the rest of the beautiful botanic gardens to cleanse your palette with the thousands of other pleasantly smelling plants.
While it might not smell pretty, seeing such a rare bloom with your own eyes (and probably a plugged nose) is quite a unique experience. Did you visit Stinky when it last opened up in 2015? Are you planning to visit this year if/when Stinky blooms again? Let us know in the comments below!
