A ‘corpse flower’ is in bloom. How to catch a whiff

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A corpse flower — named for the stinky odor it exudes — has bloomed in Encinitas, and the San Diego Botanic Garden is extending its hours for the short-lived occasion.

Because the plant’s rare bloom only lasts for 48 hours, the North County garden plans to stay open until midnight Friday and will reopen Saturday at 7 a.m.

Planning a visit to catch a whiff? You may want to go in the evening hours for the smelliest experience, as that’s the time of day the odor is at its strongest, a spokesperson for the garden said.

Typically, corpse flowers, or Amorphophallus titanum, only bloom every four to five years after the initial bloom. But for this flower, not even three years has passed since it last bloomed in November of 2021, according to the garden. Corpse flowers usually take up to a decade to produce their first blooms.

For ticket information, visit the San Diego Botanic Garden website.

Can’t make it to the garden? You can watch a 24-hour livestream of the bloom on the botanic garden’s website (sorry, no Smell-O-Vision).

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