ST. LOUIS — A rare corpse flower, known as “Millie,” is poised to bloom soon at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
The titan arum, commonly referred to as a corpse flower, is a large and rapidly growing plant from the aroid family, native to Sumatra, Indonesia, according to the Garden. It is famous for its powerful, unpleasant odor, which comes from a tall spike of flowers. This smell, which lasts about 24 hours, attracts pollinators such as flies.
Despite the increasing number of titan arums being cultivated, the plant is listed as endangered in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Species. The Missouri Botanical Garden grows corpse flowers as part of its dedication to plant conservation.
Millie, the corpse flower at the Garden, was a gift from the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. It typically takes five to ten years for the plant to bloom, according to the Garden.
Horticulturist Emily Colletti anticipates that Millie will bloom between June 9 and 12. The flower usually opens quickly, with peak bloom occurring after dark. Visitors can view Millie in the Linnean House at the Garden.
Colletti, who has curated the Garden’s aroid collection for 22 years, has witnessed all 14 corpse flower blooms at the Garden.
“Each corpse flower is like one of my plant children. Each bloom is unique, but they share common characteristics,” Colletti said. “I am eager to see what Millie has to teach me about this extraordinary plant.”
The Garden will provide a livestream of Millie’s bloom for those unable to visit in person. Updates can be found on the Garden’s social media platforms.