People Rush to Smell ‘Rotting Flesh’ Stink of Corpse Flower

Visitors stepping into the historic Talcott Greenhouse at Mount Holyoke College were immediately struck by an intense and unpleasant smell. Some said it reminded them of rotting eggs, while others compared it to the scent of a dead bird during a biology dissection. Another visitor described it as similar to a dirty diaper left in the heat.

Nyx DelPrado, a first-year student at the college, said the odor was even worse than expected when she came to see the plant in bloom. She said she knew the smell would be unpleasant, but it reminded her strongly of decaying flesh. Laughing as she reacted to the scent, she said the plant’s nickname clearly fits.

The plant responsible for the smell is the corpse flower, scientifically known as Amorphophallus titanum. Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, the rare tropical plant is famous for producing a powerful odor when it blooms. The smell imitates the scent of decomposing flesh, which helps attract pollinators like flies and beetles. Corpse flowers bloom very rarely and only remain open for a short period of time.

At Mount Holyoke, the plant—nicknamed Pangy—first bloomed in 2023. Its latest bloom has again brought large numbers of visitors to the greenhouse, many eager to witness the unusual event despite the strong smell.

Predicting when a corpse flower will bloom is difficult because the plant can remain dormant for years. In the weeks leading up to this bloom, Pangy experienced a rapid growth spurt, sometimes growing several inches in a single day. Over about six weeks the plant shot upward before finally opening overnight Monday.

When greenhouse staff arrived the next morning, the smell was already noticeable from the entrance. As they walked deeper toward the greenhouse where the plant was located, the odor became much stronger. Staff members said the scent was overwhelming and nearly unbearable once they reached the plant. One staffer joked that anyone unaware of the bloom might walk in and wonder if something had died inside the greenhouse.

Original Source