GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Love the smell of rotting flesh in the morning? You'll want to make your way to Frederik Meijer Gardens this weekend as a rare corpse flower blooms—releasing the scent of decaying animals or rotting flesh.
It's difficult to predict when the aptly-named corpse flower will bloom. Many don't open up for years, while some have opened year after year. These unpredictable blooming patterns mean it's a big deal when a flower blooms—especially because the blooms only last for about 24 to 36 hours, and can take up to a decade to produce.
The corpse flower at Meijer Gardens, lovingly called "The Beast" by the Grand Valley State University biology department, is on loan from the university. It first bloomed in 2022, and greenhouse supervisor Christina Hipshier said they were shocked to see it beginning to bloom again so soon.
"We are grateful for the help from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in displaying The Beast," she said. "Considering that this bloom is happening during a time when most students are not on campus, we are excited for the visibility that this collaboration will bring."
Corpse flowers are not only stinky—they're big! They can grow up to 10 feet tall and four feet wide. Its leaves can reach a whopping 20 feet in height and 16 feet across. Their pungent scent is intended to attract pollinators that are drawn to dead animals.
Meijer Gardens does have its own corpse flower named Putricia, which last bloomed in 2018. Steve LaWarre, Senior Vice President of Horticulture at Meijer Gardens, said they're ecstatic to display another blooming corpse flower.
“This is an incredibly exciting and unique thing to experience," said LaWarre. "Many people go through their entire careers never seeing an example like this in person."
If you're hoping to catch a whiff of the flower, you should plan on stopping by Meijer Gardens this weekend. Experts are estimating the bloom to happen between Friday, June 14 and Sunday, June 16.
The Beast is on display in the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse and can be seen with general admission.
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