Still waiting: Second corpse flower slow to bloom at US Botanic Garden

WASHINGTON ( DC News Now ) — Days after one of two corpse flowers bloomed at the U.S. Botanic Garden, the second had not, taking its sweet, stinky time.

In an update Thursday, the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) said crews were surprised by how long the second flower stood without blooming. The garden has a visual indicator that’s been reliable in giving a two-week prediction of when the flowers will bloom.

That prediction has been surpassed by a couple of days for one of the two flowers, however.

Corpse flowers ( Amorphophallus titanium ) are the largest, unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom, well known for boasting a powerful stink, often compared to the stench of rotting flesh.

Listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it’s estimated that less than 1,000 flowers exist in the wild – two call the Botanic Garden home, according to the USBG.

The first corpse flower bloomed on the night of July 21 and it was estimated that the second would bloom around July 22-23.

Despite the delay, the Garden said all signs indicate that the second bloom is healthy and still “very much ready to go.”

“So we wait and see what it is going to do!” officials wrote in a post on Facebook .

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