There’s an unpleasant smell in Brooklyn, but it’s so rare that locals want to smell it.
Brooklyn Botanical Garden officials say the stinking flowers, which bloom once every two to 10 years, are expected to bloom this week.
Native to Indonesia and scientifically known as Amorphophallus gigas, this carcass flower makes headlines in gardens around the world every time it blooms. When the petals are ready to unfold, the flowers emit a natural scent that attracts meal beetles that feed on dead animals.
Adrian Benepe, the zoo’s director, said the blooms are an event that only lasts a few days, but will likely bloom by the end of the week.
Eric Schaller, a biology professor at Dartmouth College who studies corpse flowers, says the blooming plants are spectacularly fragrant.
“They smell like rotting meat to attract pollinators,” he says.
Mr. Schaller knows all about the stench. As part of his research, he has slept next to cadaver flowers and used thermography to monitor the plants’ rising temperatures just before they bloom.
“At that point, it basically feels like a body,” Schaller said of the warm, smelly flowers.
The Corpse Flower can be found in the Aquatic House in the Garden. When the garden posted a video of the plant on Instagram last week, dozens of commenters responded with plans to visit in hopes of seeing it bloom.
“For me, part of the reason is how fascinated people are with this work,” Schaller said. “Young children are curious, but if it smells too much, they run away.”
The public can see and smell the corpse flowers during the garden’s opening hours, Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The garden holds an annual “Winter Weekday,” where visitors can pay an admission fee.
