Get your nose pegs ready — the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), better known as the corpse flower, is preparing to bloom inside the Bicentennial Conservatory at Adelaide Botanic Garden.
Affectionately nicknamed Smellanie by staff, the towering plant currently stands around 1.5 metres tall and represents a major milestone in a plant conservation effort more than 20 years in the making. This is the second time this particular titan arum has flowered, following its last bloom in 2021 — and as with all corpse flowers, the moment will be fleeting.
Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia horticultural curator Matt Coulter said the journey began back in 2006 with a modest donation of just three seeds.
“We received a donation of three seeds in 2006, and from that small starting point, have grown a collection of around 250 titan arum plants,” Mr Coulter said. “Approximately 100 have been propagated from leaf cuttings and 150 through cross-pollination, in addition to the original three plants.
“This bloom has emerged from a tuber generated by one of those original seeds and marks the second time this particular plant has flowered, following its last bloom in 2021.”
Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, the titan arum produces the largest inflorescence — a cluster of flowers — in the world. While it looks like a single enormous bloom, it’s actually hundreds of tiny flowers concealed inside the base of the burgundy spathe, wrapped around the giant central spike known as the spadix.
When it blooms, it doesn’t just put on a visual show — it unleashes a powerful odour likened to rotting flesh. The smell is no accident. The plant heats itself and releases a cocktail of chemicals designed to attract night-active pollinating insects that would normally be drawn to decaying organic matter.
Timing is everything. Once the spathe begins to open, the transformation happens rapidly, often over just a few hours, and the entire flowering event lasts only 48 hours. The smell is strongest on the first night, easing by day and returning more mildly on the second night as the plant shifts from attracting insects to releasing pollen.
If you’re keen to catch it in action, keep a close eye on the Adelaide Botanic Garden’s social channels. Predicting the exact bloom time is notoriously difficult, but it’s expected very soon.
This isn’t South Australia’s first encounter with the infamous flower. Back in 2016, more than 5,000 people travelled from across Australia — and even overseas — to see the state’s first corpse flower bloom at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, a plant named Indah, meaning “beautiful” in Indonesian.
That surge of public interest confirmed the titan arum’s status as a global flagship species for botanic gardens — and underscored just how rare and special these blooms are. Few botanic gardens worldwide have successfully cultivated enough plants to aim for regular flowering.
Behind the scenes, the plant itself is just as fascinating below the surface. Its corm — the swollen underground structure that stores energy — produces incredibly strong roots that grow annually and can even crack pots. Remarkably, around 90 per cent of those roots emerge from the top of the corm, right near the growing bud.
For visitors, patience will be required. Long queues are expected, along with summer heat, but entry to the conservatory will be free on the first and second days of the bloom. A suggested donation of $5–$10 per adult helps support ongoing conservation work and future displays like this one.
It’s also worth noting that the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is currently showing inside the Bicentennial Conservatory. While that exhibition is ticketed, free entry will apply during the bloom period due to the high level of public interest in the titan arum.
Where: Bicentennial Conservatory, Adelaide Botanic Garden (enter via Friends’ Gate, Plane Tree Drive)
When: Likely later this week; exact timing to be confirmed via social media here
How long: Approximately 48 hours
Cost: Free entry during bloom (donations encouraged)
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