AUSTRALIANS LINE UP TO SEE DEAD CORPSE FLOWER BLOOM

The Australian city of Geelong recently saw thousands of people lining up to witness a very rare plant. Not only is the plant rare to see, but only a few thousand people will ever get to smell the unusual plant.

The corpse flower is a rare flower that is named after the disgusting stench it releases. The flower releases the stench when it blooms to attract pollinators like flies and beetles.

But, it’s not only the smell that makes it worth lining up to witness. The plant’s flower blooms very unpredictably, sometimes only once every 10 years. Each bloom lasts only 24 to 48 hours, so it’s no wonder that it draws huge crowds when it’s time to bloom.

The Geelong Botanic Garden is home to the corpse plant currently in bloom. It was gifted to the Garden from the State Herbarium in Adelaide.

For years, avid visitors and horticulturalists have been keeping a watch on the plant with the hope that they might see it bloom.

The flower began to bloom on Monday 11 November with a massive 5,000 people arriving on the first day.

Visitors to the Garden have described the smell as similar to a dead mouse or a stinky pond.

The Garden will stay open until the flower is no longer in bloom.

Image credit: Geelong Advertiser