News

Actions

Well, this stinks! Corpse flower blooms at Denver Botanic Gardens

You have 24-48 hours to take in the putrid odor
Posted at 10:41 AM, Aug 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-06 20:33:09-04

DENVER -- Would you like to see and smell a corpse this weekend? You'll be able to at the Denver Botanic Gardens for a brief period of time. 

A corpse flower bloomed Friday night at the Gardens, an official with the Gardens said early Saturday. Named "Little Stinker," the second corpse flower to bloom in the history of the Botanic Gardens is seen as the little brother of "Stinky," which drew hundreds of visitors to the Gardens almost a year ago

The bloom only lasts 24 to 48 hours, "so today (Saturday) is best for viewing opportunity," a Gardens spokesperson said. 

(Photo: "Little Stinker" blooms at the Denver Botanic Gardens)

The Denver Botanic Gardens will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can save $1 per ticket if you purchase your tickets online. Officials ask that you use the hashtag #LittleStinkerDBG if you're going to share photos on social media. 

The flower, Amorphophallus titanum, emits an odor that has been described as being like rotting flesh, garbage and an old gym bag. Viewing a corpse flower is a very rare event, as seven to 10 years can pass between each bloom.

RELATED: The reason people wait hours to sniff a corpse flower

The corpse flower is native solely to western Sumatra, a large Indonesian island, where it grows in openings in rainforests on limestone hills, according to National Geographic.  

---------

Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.

Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.