What to Know
- The plant is finally blooming after more than 10 years of growth
- The full effect of the flower's infamous scent won't last long
- New Yorkers have been watching for days, waiting for the rare event
The much anticipated blooming of Amorphophallus titanum, also known as the corpse flower, began Thursday afternoon at the New York Botanical Garden.
Floral aficionados now have the opportunity to see -- and smell -- a rare occurrence.
The plant is finally blooming after more than 10 years of growth.
It's the first time that the flowering plant, known for its deep burgundy petals and corpse-like smell, will bloom on display since 1939.
The full effect of the flower's infamous scent won't last long, however. The NYBG said that the plant will only be at peak bloom for 24 to 36 hours.
It can take up to a decade for the plant to get up the energy to begin the bloom cycle, the NYBG said.
A pair of the enormous flowers bloomed at the gardens in 1937 and 1939, leading then-Bronx Borough President James Lyons to name the plant the borough's official flower. It was replaced by the daylily in 2000, though.
