Time’s running out to check out that stinky corpse flower in Vancouver
Posted August 19, 2021 7:21 am.
Last Updated August 19, 2021 2:02 pm.
VANCOUVER – It’s happening — Vancouver’s smelliest flower, the rare corpse flower, is stinking up the Bloedel Conservatory.
The flower, dubbed “Uncle Fester,” emits an odour that has been described as the smell of rotting meat or dirty diapers.
The amorphophallus titanum began reeking at 9 p.m. Wednesday, and is stronger in odour Thursday. The bloom only lasts between 24 to 48 hours before it wilts and goes dormant again, sometimes remaining dormant as long as a decade.
“Some people look completely nauseated and other people are really trying to get deeper with the smell. Somebody came in with a few Ziplock bags and tried to capture the smell. There have been all kinds of reactions and it’s all been very entertaining.” Acting Conservatory Lead Innessa Roosen said Thursday.
HAPPENING NOW: The rare corpse flower at the Bloedel Conservatory has bloomed! If you want to give it a sniff, you'll have to act fast. https://t.co/gVNzGm4RgC @BloedelConserv @ParkBoard pic.twitter.com/EgecBozCew
— CityNews 1130 Vancouver (Inactive) (@news1130) August 19, 2021
The unique tropical plant produces only one leaf and reaches up to 15 feet in size. Its powerful stench attracts pollinator insects like carrion beetles and flesh flies that feed on dead animals.
The last time Uncle Fester bloomed was in 2018, drawing more than 4,000 courageous visitors who lined up to take a big whiff and view its beauty.
The corpse flower at the conservatory is now nine years old and over two feet tall.
People wanting to take in all of the plant’s glory in-person will need to buy tickets ahead of time.
“We’re not sold out for Saturday or Sunday. People are welcome to come and visit. The smell will be gone by Saturday and Sunday, but the flower will still be there and it might be slightly collapsed, but still quite the spectacle. Folks have 20-minute time slots and it’s 50-person capacity,” Roosen said.
She says people have described the smell Thursday as akin to a dead mouse, rotten garbage or dirty laundry.
With files from Denise Wong and CityNews
