Would you stand in line to smell the world’s most disgusting flower?

This is now officially the year of Putrescia, the most foul-swelling flower in the world. Thousands of people flocked to the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Australia, to see and smell the rare bloom of the scented plant, also known colorfully as the corpse flower.

Flowering is The fifth is not documented at all At the Royal Botanic Garden, it is the first event to take place since 2010. It is estimated that nearly 20,000 people have visited the garden in the hope of witnessing the rare event, while hundreds of thousands watched Potrichia via live broadcast. However, such flowers only last 24 hours, and it is unfortunate that Putrescia’s moment in the spotlight is over.

Botrychia – a combination of mold and patricia – belongs to this species Amorphous titaniumA plant native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. As its moniker suggests, the plant emits a strong odor similar to rotting flesh when it’s time to flower. This obscenity is not merely a cruel trick of nature; It’s actually a very clever strategy to attract rot-loving creatures that will serve as unintended pollinators for the plant, such as carrion beetles and flies. The nature of the smell may vary from person to person, with some also likening it to wet socks or hot cat food.

Researchers at the Royal Botanic Garden Noticed for the first time Signs Botrychia flowers are about to bloom in late December, and in mid-January, they create a special display for the flower to make its debut to adoring fans. There are other plants that emit a similar unpleasant odor, but the Botrychia species may be the one that most attracts the eye and nose. In full bloom, the plant can reach nine feet in height.

“The fact that it’s so huge, it takes a long time (to bloom), and it smells so bad really attracts people to it,” said Brett Summerill, senior scientist at the Sydney Botanic Gardens. He said Reuters.

As of Friday evening in Sydney (early Friday morning on the US East Coast), Botrychia blooms have come to an end. But there is no need to be afraid. Although corpse flowers are relatively rare, they are not a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. These flowers tend to bloom every few years, and there are plenty of botanical gardens that host their smelly plants.

Last year, the U.S. Botanical Garden in Washington, D.C He saw two Amorphous titanium Blooms, for example. And just yesterday, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in New York City Announce The impending flowering of related and even rare corpse flower species, amorphous giga –Which I now wish I could smell in person.