Three years ago, a mostly latent flower at the Denver Botanic Gardens was must-see viewing for thousands of people around the world.
And now, Stinky the corpse flower is blooming again!.
WATCH LIVE | Stinky is blooming now at Denver Botanic Gardens
This is the second bloom for the approximately 18-year-old plant. The first bloom, which happened in August 2015, drew thousands of visitors to the Denver Botanic Gardens – and they waited in line for hours to catch a glimpse of the star attraction.
Now, the Denver Botanic Gardens said Stinky is back (not like the flower went anywhere -- you can see it now) and could be bigger than ever. Its bloom is expected to be most spectacular during the first 24 hours.
Seriously though … according to a news release from the gardens, horticulturalists believe the plant will be taller and bloom larger this time around.
The gardens said it will maintain its normal hours on Aug. 30 and 31 - 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gardens members can get in an hour early, though.
Right now, it’s currently just over 2 feet tall and will grow to be more than 5 feet tall.
Maybe now’s the part where we tell you what a corpse flower is. Native to the rainforests of western Sumatra, these plants have a foul odor similar to decaying flesh. Stinky won’t smell until it blooms, and then, the aroma will be the most potent from late evening to the middle of the night, before tapering off in the morning.
The smell attracts flies and carrion beetles for pollination.
A corpse flower's bloom is a rare occurrence since the plant's first bloom occurs after eight to 20 years of vegetative growth. The second bloom can happen every three to five years.
For ticket information and more facts about the flower, visit http://www.botanicgardens.org.
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