Dubbed the “Son of Sinky”; Amorphophallus titanium Blooms Briefly Then Closes
By Pasadena Independent
Published: Friday, June 19th, 2009
Rare Amorphophallus titanium Blooms – Relative of the Famous Stinky Plant of 1999 – Draws Thousands to Huntington Library
When it bloomed at The Huntington in 1999, the gigantic Amorphophallus titanum (a.k.a. the Corpse Flower)created international headlines. A second flowering in 2002 was equally sensational. Now, one of the famous Corpse Flower’s offspring has bloomed. Propagated from seed produced by the 1999bloom, one could call it a genuine “son of Stinky.”
Not quite as dramatic as the bloom in 1999, however son of stinky caused a spectacular smell on Thursday and late Thursday started its dormant period.
Native to the equatorial rain forests of Sumatra, the Amorphophallus titanum, or Titan Arum, can reach more than 6 feet in height when it blooms, opening to a diameter of 3–4 feet. But the plant is perhaps most famous—orinfamous—for its exceptionally foul odor. Hence the nickname, Corpse Flower.
Contributing to the plant’s powerful fascination is the fact that blooms are extremely rare. To date, only about 50flowerings have been recorded in the United States. The 1999 bloom at The Huntington was the first ever documented in California.
These towering titans of the natural kingdom are often said to be the largest flowers in the world. The “flower” isactually an inflorescence (or compound flower) with a fleshy, upright spadix surrounded by a tightly furled,petallikespathe. When it blooms, the spathe unfolds to reveal a velvety maroon interior, releasing its notorioussmell at the same time. The actual flowers are hidden deep inside, where they are pollinated by insects attracted
by the carrionlike odor. A day or two after the plant reaches full bloom, the tall spadix collapses from its own weight and withers away.
The plant was growing at a rate of several inches a day, it is currently on view inside The Huntington’s Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science, which houses hundreds of rare tropical specimens. Opened in 2005, this educational facility features innovative, interactive science exhibits that allow visitors to explore the wonders of the plant world. There’s still time to see this wonderful plant. call 6264052100
or log on to The Huntington’s Web site at www.huntington.
Photos by Terry Miller
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