Giant 'Corpse Flower' Blooms After Nearly 10 Years In NYC

A gigantic "corpse flower" with stench smell has finally bloomed after nearly 10 years at the New York Botanical Garden. It's blooming started on Thursday afternoon.

Bloom cycle is expected to last 24–36 hours, so tomorrow (Friday, July 29) should also be a great time to see it! pic.twitter.com/tmXEOs7aXc

— NY Botanical Garden (@NYBG) July 28, 2016

The New York Botanical Garden identified the corpse flower as the Amorphophallus Titanum. It is also referred to as the titan arum. It is a flowering plant with the biggest unbranched inflorescence in the world. The corpse flower is native and grows in the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. Its odor is just like the smell of rotting animal, which attracts the pollinators. NYBG stated that as the flowers unfold, they release their signature stench. It's like the smell of rotten flesh that attracts flesh-eating insects. These include the dung beetles and flesh flies. They further said that if these insects successfully pollinate the plant, the flowers will develop red fruit. This is the "skirt" withers that the visitors can see.

Line is currently one hour long to see the Corpse Flower at the New York Botanical Garden. pic.twitter.com/WcRlO1NdoO — Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) July 29, 2016

In the Botanical Garden, you can see the images of the flower and some descriptions. It says, "The bloom of our Amorphophallus titanium, known to many as the corpse flower, is a horticultural jewel 10 years in the making."

They further said that every day of careful nurturing and feeding has led up to this moment: a brief yet glorious window in which the gigantic plant (up to eight feet high) will unfurl, displaying the striking red interior and strange scent to which it owes its name. They added that this is the first time that a blooming titan-arum has been put on exhibit at the Garden since 1839, and this unique plant is unpredictable -it may be in flower for only one or two days, as noted by Fox 5.