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Rare flower that stinks like rotting meat preparing to bloom at Vancouver conservatory

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Vancouver -

A massive flower that blooms for just one day every few years and smells like decaying flesh will soon open again at Vancouver's Bloedel Conservatory.

Dubbed "Uncle Fester," Bloedel Conservatory's Amorphophallus titanum - commonly known as titan arum or corpse flower - drew large crowds when it first bloomed in 2018. 

The 2018 bloom was the first time a corpse flower had ever bloomed in British Columbia, according to a news release from the Vancouver Park Board.

Most years, corpse flowers produce only a leaf, which can reach up to 15 feet in length.

"But some years, an enormous flower spike – or spadix – will emerge, wrapped in a frilly, modified leaf called a spathe," the park board explained in its release.

"The spathe unfolds, exposing small flowers that bloom in rings around its base that release scent molecules to signal their readiness for fertilization."

The scent, which is similar to rancid or rotten meat, is intended to attract carrion beetles and other insects that feed on dead animals. These insects serve as pollinators for the plants.

The plants are native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra and typically take seven to 10 years to bloom for the first time, and can take as long as a decade to bloom again, though some specimens bloom every two to three years, according to the park board.

Uncle Fester - named in a public poll in 2018 - was approximately six years old when it first bloomed, and its first bloom was measured at 77 inches. This year's bloom is on track to be even larger, according to Bloedel Conservatory superintendent Bruce McDonald.

“We are so excited to bring Uncle Fester back to Bloedel Conservatory, and can’t wait to have the public join us in experiencing the pungent scent explosion that, once smelled, is hard to forget,” McDonald said in the release.

“Bets are on as to when exactly the flower will open, but based on its already-larger corm, we think this year’s bloom is going to be bigger and stinkier than ever before," he added.

Those interested in visiting the corpse flower can book a time slot on the Bloedel Conservatory website

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