SAN FRANCISCO—One of San Francisco Conservatory’s five corpse flowers is scheduled to bloom sometime during the weekend of June 18 and June 19.
Chanel the Titan, as the flower is known by among the Conservatory personnel, was a gift from UC Santa Barbara and only blooms every 3 to 5 years. The last time Chanel bloomed was in 2013 and people have been traveling to the conservatory awaiting the next bloom. Peak bloom is said to occur late at night and last only 48 hours.
Once in bloom, the flower is known to give off a distinct, foul odor that can travel for miles. The plant gives off this distinct odor to attract potential pollinators like dung beetles. Some observers state that the stench is similar to moldy cheese while others state that it smells like rotting vegetables. Experts that work with the plant observe that the flower will give off an array of different odors during different bloom stages.
The plant’s given name was a tongue-and-cheek reference to the designer fragrance Chanel according to reports.
Chanel comes from a group of plants native to Sumatra that are endangered. There are fewer than 1,000 left in the world.
The conservatory has posted a live stream of the plant on YouTube. Those interested in seeing the corpse plant in person should note that there is a $13 entrance fee for thespecific event.
