People are waiting hours at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to experience one of nature’s rarest and stinkiest events. The corpse flower, nicknamed “Smelliot” by workers, is in bloom, and visitors are lining up to brave its infamous stench.
“It smells like feet, cheese, and rotten meat. It’s just like the worst possible combination of smells,” said Elijah Blades, a visitor drawn to the rare event.
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The rare corpse flower only blooms for a few days
The corpse flower, native to Indonesia, blooms for just two to three days and can grow up to 12 feet tall. According to Chris Sprindis, a gardener at Brooklyn Botanic Garden who spoke with AP News, it’s not just one flower but an “inflorescence,” meaning it contains hundreds of tiny male and female flowers inside its massive structure.
Visitors have described its smell in vivid terms, ranging from “rotting corpse” to “trash-like” and even “like a zoo.” While unpleasant to humans, the stench serves a vital purpose in nature.
Why does it smell like rotting food?
The foul odor is designed to attract specific pollinators. Unlike bees and flies, which are drawn to sweet or pleasant smells, certain beetles are naturally attracted to the scent of rotting food and dead carcasses. The corpse flower’s smell helps draw in these beetles for pollination.
A rare experience for people in the US
Corpse flowers are rare in the United States. Few botanical gardens have one, making Smelliot’s bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden a special attraction. The flower’s short bloom period adds to the excitement, as visitors have a limited window to see and smell this unique spectacle.
“It really smells like a rotting corpse,” said Michele Olveira, another visitor. Despite the unpleasant smell, the corpse flower continues to captivate crowds.
If you want to experience this stinky spectacle, you’ll have to act fast. The bloom won’t last long, and visitors agree it’s an unforgettable –– if smelly –– experience.
