Putrella - Amorphophallus at the Muttart Conservatory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorphophallus_titanum

This is the Amrophophallus Titanum on time lapse video as it flowered at 

Kew Gardens, England, as shared on YouTube.  

https://www.facebook.com/muttart.conservatory1?hc_location=stream

http://www.edmonton.ca/attractions_recreation/attractions/muttart_conservatory/amorphophallus-titanum-aka-putrella.aspx

Historical information

Odoardo Beccari, who was travelling in the rainforests of Sumatra in 1878, is the first known European botanist to discover Amrophophallus Titanum, also known as Putrella or the Corpse Flower.  Odoardo sent seeds to Italy and as one of them germinated it was sent to Kew where it flowered in 1889.  Many years later, 1926, it flowered again and drew such a crowd that police were necessary to control it.

The Amrophophallus Titanum is a very rare plant which can remain dormant for extended periods of time and, when it does bloom, the bloom lasts only a few days.  The first day  that the flower opens, it has been said to stink so badly as to draw tears.  It smells like rotting meat.

The Muttart Conservatory here in Edmonton Alberta Canada received a specimen August of 2012 and in March of this year (2013) growth became apparent above the soil line and it rapidly grew to a height of about eight feet.  Monday, April 22/13 it bloomed and drew crowds in the hundreds.  My husband, son and I were among the lucky ones who were there to witness the extraordinary plant. 

taken by myself Monday evening, April 22/13 at Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton Alberta

More photos to come in my next post including a couple the Muttart Conservatory gave permission for me to use.