Friday, June 09, 2006

The Corpse Flower

Joshua heard on the news that the world's stinkiest flower was soon to bloom at the Fullerton Arboretum. Well, who could resist seeing such a sight! Off we went to see this huge floral wonder, only it hadn't quite bloomed yet. But here it is anyway ... that thing is a giant!
Well, we talked my mom and Jim into going back with us once we knew the flower had opened.
Voila! If you really want to know what it smelled like, go find a full dumpster, open the lid, stick your head in, and breathe deeply. Isn't God creative?

6 comments:

Joshua said...

I was almost afraid that the thing was going to tip over and sing, "Feed me!"

Joshua said...

I also wanted to add the Fullerton Arboretum's description of the Corpse Flower (Titan Arum, actual name)

"When it blooms, the Titan Arum fills the air with a pungent and obnoxious odor, often described as rotting meat. Some even describe the odor as sickening, putrid, revolting and nauseating. The stench of this plant during the blooming cycle attracts various insects which aid pollination."

Cool

Rachel said...

not once, but twice! Why?

Joshua said...

So we could smell the gigantic ugly plant. Duh! (spoken like a fourth grader)

Tara said...

Okay, does anyone else see that the flower has a strange resemblance to something? I think they should have named it something else....

Joshua said...

In response to Tara's comment. Erin's brother, Gary, found this out for us.

titan arum: Amorphophallus titanum

Victorian-era scientists picked the Greek words: Amorpho meaning
shapeless, phallus meaning penis, and titanum meaning huge, to christen
the new species.