Something wicked (and stinky) this way comes to the New York Botanical Garden. Just in time for Halloween, a rare corpse flower—officially known as Amorphophallus gigas—has begun unleashing its famously haunting stench of rotting flesh across the Bronx.
This monstrous bloom, which only happens every few years, lasts just two or three days. But when it does unfurl, it releases an odor so putrid you’ll want to hold your nose. It’s all part of nature’s plan to attract pollinators who usually feast dead things.
Standing up to eight feet tall (and a staggering 12 feet in its natural habitat) the corpse flower is as impressive as it is revolting.
As of today, Wednesday, October 29th, the garden says this particular bud has officially begun blooming inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, unleashing its legendary stench and stunning beauty. NYBG wrote in an email:
It’s always hard to predict when this marvel of nature will flower, and when it does it only lasts for a brief time, so it’s fitting that it is happening right before Halloween, that most macabre of holidays!
A corpse flower’s growth rate is sporadic, making it one of nature’s most unpredictable and alluring plants, so it’s certainly an exciting time when it does bloom–smell and all. It’s considered to be in full bloom once the spathe, or the large petal that wraps around the middle (a spiky center known as the spadix), is completely unfurled.
The last time the corpse flower bloomed at NYBG was in April 2023, drawing thousands of curious visitors and millions more tuning into the live feed–the safer option, in our opinion. Before that, its rare stinky shows took place in 2019 and 2016.
Native to Sumatra, Indonesia, this endangered plant is one of the most fascinating species in the world. It’s known for its enormous size—the largest unbranched flower on Earth—and for the heat it generates during its bloom, which helps spread its infamous smell even further.
You can catch the corpse flower in person at the New York Botanical Garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, or skip the stench and watch the live stream online.
You can also see a time lapse of a past corpse flower blooming below: