If you adore exotic flowers, you probably heard a lot about the corpse flower. It is a unique, huge flower with a distinctive smell that blooms only for 2-3 days every two to three years. Even though the flower itself is weird, it always becomes a great attraction to everyone who is curious to understand the flower.
There is one interesting fact about this flower: it is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as the population has been declining by more than 50% over the past 150 years. The main reason is due to logging, and the native habitat has changed into oil palm plantations.
The corpse flower originates from the rainforest of Sumatra. The flower with the Latin name, Amorphophallus titanum, is generally found around openings on limestone hills. With such a huge structure and a need for light, this flower needs a bigger space.
This flower has been popular for a thousand years, since it was found by an Italian botanist, Odoardo Beccari, in 1878. After that, this flower has become the talk of the town due to its unique features and smell.
The plant grows very well in warm and humid areas. Typically, it is often found in the rainforest Sumatera Indonesia, around the limestone hills with rich soils and enough sunlight. This flower also needs a constant warm climate, around tropical areas under the forest canopy. Even though the flower loves constant light, it needs partial sunlight, which the forest often helps filter the light.
These are what make the corpse flower become interesting. The flower has a unique feature in terms of its shape, color, and even fragrance. Unlike other flowers that are often associated with beauty, the corpse flower has its own beauty.
When it is perfectly blooming, the flower can stand tall up to 2.43 meters with 60.9 cm in diameter. At its peak, the corpse flower can grow up to 6 inches in a day. This is a very interesting and unique plant in Indonesia.
Speaking about the color, the bloom is dominated by a petal-like structure, which is called a spathe that has deep green on the outside of the petal, and then it will turn into a burgundy or deep red on the inside surrounding the central spike, Spadix. Typically, the spadix has a yellowish or cream color, while other species will show a purple hue.
For the smell itself, it is so unique that it resembles the rotting flesh to attract insects such as beetles and flies.
This smell is influenced by certain compounds, such as dimethyl trisulfide, which makes it smell like boiled cabbage or stinky cheese. Also, the smell is influenced by the dimethyl disulfide (garlic) and high levels of trimethylamine (rotting fish). Other compounds that influence the smell of the flower include indole, benzyl alcohol, and isovaleric acid.
Interestingly, no one can predict when the flower will bloom. Generally, it needs many years or at least 3 years. After that, the corn will grow and develop into a flower.
The corpse flower symbolizes the transformation of life/death cycles. This also represents the hidden beauty due to its uniqueness and rarity. The flower that smells like rotting flesh just reminds us that after a long dormancy, this flower grows from the decay and regenerates into a unique beauty. This unique flower becomes a sensation once it blooms after some years, even though it brings unpleasant smells.
The unique cycle, appearance, and smell make everyone adore this flower. A lot of people are looking for ways to propagate the flower. As usual, this flower will always thrive when you mimic its natural habitat. Some special care is required to make the flower grow and bloom, as it is rare and difficult to cultivate.
Growing the corpse flower takes a lot of patience and care. However, it is going to be worth it when the blooming time has come. In short, you need to pay attention to the factors we mentioned above, even during dormancy, to make sure the flower will grow well and bloom beautifully. If you live in a colder area, the treatments will get trickier as you have to at least maintain the temperature and humidity constantly while monitoring its nutrition and so on.
Speaking about exotic flowers, Athaya Florist is one of the leading florist shops in Indonesia that serves thousands of customers, creating beautiful flower arrangements. From personal to formal occasions, we can help you create a flower arrangement that suits your needs and budget. Our mission is to make every occasion feel special, especially with your favorite local flowers. Athaya Florist has it all! For more options, customizations, and also more catalogues, you can contact our team!
