Rare flower that stinks like rotting meat preparing to bloom at Vancouver conservatory
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.