Pete the corpse flower set to bloom in Geelong this Sunday
Pete, a 178cm corpse flower, is expected to bloom Sunday in Geelong, nearly twice the size of the last bloom.
Reported by The Guardian
ShareWhy it matters
The rare double bloom in two years draws crowds of curious visitors and highlights why people are fascinated by extreme plants.
In Australia. Geelong Botanic Gardens expects visitors keen to experience one of nature's most notorious smells, and to learn about plant conservation efforts.
Key facts
- 178 centimetres
- Pete's height
- 13 years old
- Pete's age
- 24 to 48 hours
- Bloom duration
- Sunday
- Expected bloom date
- Pete is a 13-year-old titan arum that has been rapidly gaining height and turning purple.
- These are signs the bloom is imminent.
- When it unfurls, it will release a putrid stench.
- The stench smells like rotting flesh, decaying possum or old sweaty socks.
- The bloom will last only 24 to 48 hours.
- At 178 centimetres tall, Pete towers nearly twice the height of Betsy.
- Betsy bloomed at the same gardens in 2024.
- Horticulturists expect an even fouler smell from Pete.
- The plant lures insects with the stench to ensure pollination.
- The spadix acts like a chimney, drawing the odour up and out.
- Corpse flowers are native to Sumatra and endangered.
- Australia is now among the world's top three places for blooms.
