Corpse flower’s rotten aroma captivates Geelong

TENS of thousands of people flocked to Geelong Botanic Gardens this week to get a glimpse of the rare corpse flower in bloom.

With only a short 24-hour window in which to witness the spectacle for themselves, visitors of all ages – many with dogs in tow and at least one with a parrot – waited into the night, in lines of up to four hours.

Those who were unable to make it in person, and several who were, tuned into a livestream of the event, watching from as far away as Nepal, the UK and the US, as the corpse flower reached full bloom on Monday evening.

Geelong Botanic Gardens coordinator Kellee Reissinger said it had been wonderful to see so many people visiting the gardens to experience the “once-in-a-lifetime” phenomenon.

“All of our dreams have come true,” she said.

“People are very much in awe – we’re [the staff] in awe as well. I think people forget that we’re experiencing this for the first time as well.”

The corpse flower, also known as Titan Arum or Amorphophallus titanum, is famous for its pungent smell which is said to be reminiscent of rotting flesh.

The plant bloom as infrequently as once every 10 years, and it can be difficult to predict when the plant will flower.

“I love plants, but I was dubious that a plant could mimic a dead, rotting animal so well and I think it has,” Ms Reissinger said.

“It’s these amazing waves that come about, so it’s strong and then it dissipates and then it’s strong again. It’s like a pulse.”

She praised the city’s staff for their meticulous work in the days leading up to the flower’s bloom to accommodate the influx of visitors.

“We’ve all enjoyed it so much and I’m so proud to be part of the team.”

Community opinions on the flower’s odour varied greatly, with some saying they anticipated a stronger scent, while others were pleased they managed to view the plant without also losing the contents of their stomach.

One visitor liked the stench to that of “smelly footy boots”, while another compared the smell to a “dead mouse under the stove”.

City of Greater Geelong chief executive officer Ali Wastie thanked the thousands of people who came to visit the gardens, stating the extraordinary event was an opportunity to appreciate “the vital role that botanic gardens play in promoting rare and unique plant species”.