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Shangri La is located at 2111 W. Park Avenue in Orange, Texas For details, call 409.670.9113 or visit www.shangrilagardens.org.

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Image courtesy of: Matthew Opel, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Plant Growth

Facility at University of Connecticut.

See reverse to learn a variety of facts about this rare, spectacular flower,

Amorphophallus titanum or Corpse Flower!

What is it?A tropical plant, of the Arum family, discovered in 1878 in Sumatra, Indonesia, by Dr. Odoardo Beccari, an Italian botanist. The first specimen to bloom in cultivation was at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in England and the first US recorded bloom was at the New York Botanical Garden, both taking place in 1937.

Is it the largest f lower in the world?No, actually it is the largest non-branched inf lorescence in the world. An inf lorescence is a cluster of f lowers—you may think of it as a bouquet. The plant that produces the largest single f lower in the world is the Raff lesia arnoldii, which produces a single f lower that is a meter wide. Like the Corpse Flower, Raff lesia arnoldii is difficult to find and f lowers rarely.

So if it is an inf lorescence, then there must be a bunch of f lowers—where are they?The inf lorescence of the Corpse Flower is composed of two parts. The outer purple vase-like sheath is called the spathe. It protects the inner tube-like structure called the spadix, and its meat-like color serves to attract pollinators. The f lowers are small and located on the spadix; there are hundreds of f lowers hidden beneath the spathe.

What causes the foul smell?The major components detected in the odors are the sulfur-containing compounds dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide.

How big can Corpse Flowers get?The inf lorescence can get up to 10 feet tall. The record holding bloom listed in the Guinness Book of World Records was 10 feet, 2.25 inches tall. The prize for the tallest arum goes to Amorphophallus gigas, which can be up to 12 feet tall.

Why is this f lower so big?In the dense jungles of Sumatra a small inf lorescence that relies on aroma to attract pollinators would have a difficult time spreading that aroma and attracting pollinators.

The bigger the inf lorescence the more successful it will be in spreading the aroma and thereby attracting pollinators. Even better is that the plant actually uses energy reserves to warm itself up to temperatures comparable to human body temperature. The warmth allows the compounds in the odor to volatilize more easily. So in other words, the warmer the Corpse Flower gets, the stinkier it gets.

What pollinates the Corpse Flower?Folklore speaks of elephants pollinating the Corpse Flower, but we know now that it is much smaller organisms—flies, carrion beetles, and sweat bees. The Corpse Flower attracts pollinators by producing an odor that resembles that of rotting f lesh, hence the evocative common name. Flies and carrion beetles, in particular, are attracted to the smell of rotting f lesh and the lower portion of the spadix is red and resembles rotting f lesh.

How is this inf lorescence pollinated?The female f lowers are on the bottom of the spadix and are red and open first. The male f lowers are on the top of the spadix, opening later. Because the male and female f lowers open at different times they do not pollinate themselves. Now, here comes the cool part: Think about f lies trapped inside a window. They tend to f ly to the bottom and crawl to the top of the window. Pollinators f ly to the lower portion of the spadix and then crawl upward. As they do so they pick up pollen and then f ly off to a new Corpse Flower starting at the bottom again where they cross fertilize a second Corpse Flower with pollen from the first.

How long will the inf lorescence last?It will last only about 48 hours. It takes a lot of energy to heat up the f lower, release the aroma, and attract pollinators.

Will it bloom again?The Corpse Flower is an infrequent bloomer in its habitat and even more infrequent in cultivation. It will bloom when it has replenished the energy it exhausted blooming this time; this may take 3 to 7 years. Meanwhile it will produce another leaf annually.

Where are the leaves?The Corpse Flower produces one mosaic patterned leaf at a time for several years. The leaves start out small and get progressively larger and can reach 12 feet tall and taller. The leaf photosynthesizes and allows the plant to store energy in a large underground tuber. Each leaf lasts about a year before going dormant.

Why is it so rare?Some plants like the Corpse Flower are naturally rare. Lady’s-slippers in Texas would be examples of plants that are naturally rare. However, the Corpse Flower now faces two significant threats—collectors and, more critically, deforestation.

What is the “nickname” of this plant?After much discussion with staff throughout the organization and the submission of a number of candidate nicknames, our beloved Corpse Flower has been named “Lenore”, in honor of a poem from the American author Edgar Allen

Poe that discusses proper decorum in the wake of the death of a young woman. This seems an appropriately macabre name!

From where did Shangri La acquire the plant?Shangri La purchased a 9 pound tuber of the Amorphophallus titanum from Tindara Orchids in September 2011.

Where has “Lenore” been after acquisition? Since September 2011, it has been housed at our 15th Street Production Greenhouse facility until it’s f lowering in June 2013. It was then moved to the Exhibition/Classroom Greenhouse at Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center for public viewing. When first planted, it leafed out and that leaf did not die until late December 2012. The tuber entered a dormancy period that lasted 5 months. In late May with the tuber weighing approximately 31 pounds, a bud broke the soil’s surface, and by June 10, 2013, staff was positive that Lenore was going to bloom. The peak bloom is expected to be during the week of June 24, 2013.

What is the lifespan of Corpse Flower plant?Approximately 40 years.

Is it hard to grow?It takes years of careful cultivation to grow, though it appears to be no more difficult to grow than other Amorphophallus species. Its growth cycle produces huge dissected leaf that can reach 12 feet tall or more is patterned with a mosaic of blotches and will grow for over a year before dying. Then it is followed by period of dormancy for several months.

How many species of arums are there?There are more than 170, mostly in the tropics. Some of these species have odors that are more pleasant: carrot-like, anise, chocolate, banana, fruity, or lemon-like.

Do we have similar plants that are native to Texas?Yes! The Corpse Flower belongs to a plant family called the Araceae or the Aroids or Arum family. Most members of the arum family are tropical plants, though an obvious exception would be the Jack-in-the-Pulpit which is woodland perennial that grows most vigorously in humus-rich, moist soils. It also has a spathe and spadix. Other plants in this family include caladiums, calla lily, Anthuriums, Dieffenbachia (dumb cane, corn plant), and Philodendrons.

Why is it important to conserve these plants?Many species in the genus Amorphophallus, including the Corpse Flower, are highly endemic. This means that they are only found in relatively small, restricted geographic areas. If the rainforest home of these species is destroyed, we will lose these species.

What good is it?First and foremost, a plant as magnificent as Amorphophallus helps us realize the incredible complexity and diversity of the natural world. It emphasizes the need to conserve plants and biodiversity. For efforts of conservations and environmental stewardship, do not buy animals, birds, or plants that have been poached from forests. Join a conservation group and support your local botanical gardens.

Image courtesy of the Department of Botany Garden and Greenhouses, College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison.