Us lucky Angelenos. Not only do we get free kid’s concerts by our favorite psych rock legends but we also have The Corpse Flower ! If you’re in the area in early June you too can witness, with multiple senses, The Titan Arum or “Corpse Flower” in rare bloom.

Native to the equatorial rain forests of Sumatra, the Amorphophallus titanum, or Titan Arum, can reach more than 6 feet in height when it blooms, opening to a diameter of 3–4 feet. But the plant is perhaps most famous—or infamous—for its exceptionally foul odor.  Hence the nickname, Corpse Flower. Contributing to the plant’s powerful fascination is the fact that blooms are extremely rare. To date, only about 50 flowerings have been recorded in the United States. The 1999 bloom at The Huntington was the first ever documented in California. In its natural environment, the “Corpse Flower” is pollinated by carrion beetles, sweat bees, and flesh flies. It attracts those insects by sending off a foul odor like rotting meat. The strong smell can travel long distances in the Titan Arum’s native tropical forests, ensuring that insects can pick up the scent in time to pollinate the flowers during their short bloom time.

 
The Huntington: It’s Back! “Corpse Flower 2010”
 
thx Juan Gomez!