You have to feel kind of bad for Mr. Wilson. Sure, Dennis the Menace was just trying to warn him that his house was being robbed, but he spent his whole, sad, adult life waiting for his precious plant to bloom for just a few seconds and he missed it. It's a lesson in disappointment.
The flower that Mr. Wilson's fictional flora is based on is blooming in Denver, and thousands of people have flooded the Denver Botanic Gardens to catch a glimpse and a whiff. The titan arum, or corpse flower, blooms only a few times in its life, and each time it smells disgusting.
“It’s the equivalent of the circus coming to town,” Alan Walker, a volunteer at the gardens, told the New York Times. He finds it a little weird that “all these people would line up for something that smells like a combination of Limburger cheese and gym socks.”
So do we. The first people in line to see and smell the fabled flower were handed souvenir barf bags. Charming.
But the flower is pretty. Its deep purple petal wraps around a yellow spadix that can grow up to 10 feet high.
The flower started to bloom on Tuesday and was broadcast live over StinkyCam, which allowed viewers to see the rare plant without gagging.
“Personally I think it smells like old cabbage, maybe a couple of dead mice,” said Rich Clark, a guard from Big Al’s Security, which is the best name for a security company ever. Others described the stench as "a chicken in a trash bag inside a metal garbage can left outside for a sunny few days," a "decaying corpse" or some "Italian sausage." Yum.
As an enthusiast with a deep knowledge of botany and rare plant species, I find it fascinating to discuss the recent blooming of the titan arum, commonly known as the corpse flower, in Denver Botanic Gardens. My expertise in this field allows me to provide detailed insights into the unique characteristics and behavior of this intriguing plant.
The titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) is a rare and exotic flowering plant renowned for its colossal size and, quite notably, its foul odor. This plant, native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, blooms infrequently, and each bloom is a spectacle that attracts enthusiasts and curious onlookers alike.
The article aptly captures the essence of the titan arum's bloom, describing its deep purple petal that envelops a yellow spadix, reaching impressive heights of up to 10 feet. The flower's bloom is a rare occurrence, and people from all around gather to witness this natural phenomenon.
The distinctive feature of the corpse flower is its pungent odor, often likened to a combination of Limburger cheese and gym socks. This unpleasant smell serves a purpose in nature, attracting carrion beetles and flesh flies that usually feed on decaying animal matter. The synchronized blooming and foul odor are the plant's mechanisms for successful pollination.
The article mentions the humorous distribution of souvenir barf bags to those eager to experience both the visual and olfactory aspects of the flower. The comparison of the smell to various unpleasant scents, such as old cabbage, decaying corpse, or Italian sausage, adds a touch of humor to the otherwise unusual and memorable event.
Overall, the titan arum's bloom is a testament to the wonders of the natural world, captivating people with its unique combination of beauty and repugnance. The Denver Botanic Gardens' live broadcast, humorously referred to as StinkyCam, allowed viewers to appreciate the flower without enduring its distinctive smell—a clever solution for those who might find the fragrance a bit overwhelming.
