More than 20,000 people have flocked to Sydney’s Botanic Gardens this week to witness the bloom of a rare corpse flower, affectionately named Putricia.
Renowned for its pungent aroma resembling rotting flesh, the Amorphophallus titanium, translating to large, deformed penis, is both a botanical wonder and a social media sensation.
The flower’s dramatic unfurling, which took up to four hours to complete, was live-streamed to thousands online and generated close to a million views in under a week.
Native to Indonesia’s Sumatran rainforest, the corpse flower blooms only once every 7–10 years in its natural habitat. With fewer than 1,000 in existence worldwide — only 300 of which are found in the wild — this event marked the first bloom of Sydney’s plant in 15 years.
The rare spectacle even inspired its unique name, a playful combination of Patricia and Putrid.
Botanic Garden spokesperson Sophie Daniel said the flowers face peculiar challenges in the wild.
"They bloom so rarely that when one opens, it has to hope another is nearby to cross-pollinate. They can’t self-pollinate, which is a disadvantage in their natural environment."
As the excitement around Putricia grew, garden staff leaned into the flower’s eccentric reputation with a theatrical display.
Inspired by Queen Victoria’s funeral, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the films of David Lynch, the display included a red carpet and velvet ropes.
Visitors waited up to three and a half hours for their turn to see the flower in person.
Paul Nicholson, the garden’s manager of volunteer programs, said: "Imagine wet teenage socks blended with day-old vomit and sun-rotted cat food. That’s the kind of smell you’re getting. But, despite the stench, it’s stunningly beautiful as well."
The crowds were not just limited to those visiting in person. The flower’s online fans created a shared language of memes and inside jokes, captivated by the 24/7 live stream of Putricia’s brief moment in the spotlight.
As quickly as it bloomed, Putricia will fade. Within 24 hours, the flower will begin to wither, marking the end of its short-lived glory until its next bloom, which could be up to a decade away.
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