Don't Sniff That Flower?

Imagine you’re walking in a forest in Indonesia, a country in Southeast Asia. Colorful birds squawk in the sky. Furry orangutans swing through the trees. Suddenly, you spot the largest flower you’ve ever seen. It’s bright purple and almost as tall as a basketball hoop. You step closer and sniff.

Yuck!!! It smells worse than sweaty socks!

You’ve just found the stinkiest flower in the world. Its stench has been compared to rotting meat, dead fish, and boiled cabbage. Its name? The corpse flower.

Imagine you’re walking in a forest in Indonesia. That’s a country in Southeast Asia. Birds squawk in the sky. Orangutans swing through the trees. Suddenly, you spot the largest flower you’ve ever seen. It’s bright purple and almost as tall as a basketball hoop. You step closer and sniff.

Yuck!!! It smells worse than sweaty socks!

You’ve just found the stinkiest flower in the world. Its stench is similar to that of rotting meat, dead fish, and boiled cabbage. What’s its name? The corpse flower.

There are more than 300,000 plant species of all sizes in the world. Most plants produce flowers. These blossoms have many smells, mostly delightful ones that make us say “Lovely!”

But the real job of a flower’s scent isn’t to impress us humans. A flower’s odor—and bright colors—attracts certain insects and birds. Plants actually need these creatures to visit.

Hidden inside flowers is a fine powder called pollen. When a bee or a hummingbird brushes up against a flower, pollen sticks to its body. That pollen then rubs off on the next flower the creature visits, creating seeds for new plants. The birds and insects that help with this process are known as pollinators.

Different smells are inviting to different types of pollinators. But what about the corpse flower’s awful reek? Some flies and beetles that feed on dead animals just love it!

There are more than 300,000 plant species in the world. Most plants produce flowers. These blossoms have many smells. Most smells are delightful and make us say “Lovely!”

But a flower’s scent isn’t really for us humans to enjoy. A flower’s odor—and bright colors—draws certain insects and birds to it. Plants actually need these creatures to visit.

A fine powder is hidden inside flowers. It’s called pollen. When a bee or a hummingbird visits a flower, pollen sticks to its body. That pollen then rubs off on the next flower the creature visits. That helps create seeds for new plants. The birds and insects that do this are called pollinators.

Different smells are inviting to different types of pollinators. But what about the corpse flower’s awful reek? Some flies and beetles that feed on dead animals just love it!

Unfortunately, the plant that produces this unique flower is in danger. The forests where it grows are being cut down to make space for farming. Experts think there are fewer than 1,000 of the plants left in the wild.

Luckily, corpse flowers grow in gardens around the world. Last summer, 20,000 visitors rushed to see three flowers blooming in a California garden. They had to hurry! The flower’s bloom usually lasts less than
48 hours.

So if you ever get the chance, go see one. But when you catch a whiff, don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Unfortunately, the plant that produces this special flower is in danger. The forests where it grows are being cut down. Experts think fewer than 1,000 of the plants are left in the wild.

Luckily, corpse flowers grow in gardens around the world. Last summer, 20,000 visitors rushed to see three of them blooming in a California garden. They had to hurry! The flower’s bloom usually lasts less than 48 hours.

So if you ever get the chance, go see one. But when you catch a whiff, don’t say we didn’t warn you!