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‘Corpse’ Flowers Causing a Blooming Stink
WBCO ^ | 6/24 | Letitia Stein

Posted on 06/24/2014 7:52:00 PM PDT by nickcarraway

The blossoming of twin “corpse” flowers, whose towering, phallic-shaped blooms reek of rotten flesh, is drawing tourists like flies to what experts are calling a lunar eclipse of the botany world.

It is unusual to see one of these endangered titans bloom in its native Indonesia, much less in captivity, and two are putting on a show within days of each other at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida.

The creamy yellow flower – actually a stalk called an inflorescence containing thousands of flowers – extends up to 10 feet (3 meters) and emits a stench like decomposing flesh to lure pollinating flies and beetles. The excitement lasts for just 48 hours before it closes, usually not to be seen again for years.

(Excerpt) Read more at wbco.com ...


TOPICS: Gardening; Hobbies; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 06/24/2014 7:52:00 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Hope Obama doesn’t visit it. The flies would abandon the flower.


2 posted on 06/24/2014 7:54:26 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: nickcarraway

Ive ony got a moment here....im off the TIcjets,com to be SURE I can get to the Stinking Flesh Smell...... before the flower DIES


3 posted on 06/24/2014 7:54:57 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
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To: nickcarraway

One bloomed at UC Davis while I was a student there. Unfortunately, when I went to visit it, it had only a faint odor. Still, it is an amazing thing to see. Its lifestyle is fascinating.


4 posted on 06/24/2014 7:58:33 PM PDT by exDemMom (Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org/)
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To: nickcarraway

There is a rare flower which grows in this area which also stinks but not like a corpse. It is bright orange with 3 sides which are sort of shaped like a mouse hole. The main part is thick and probably full of fluid. I would guess it is kin to a toad stool.


5 posted on 06/24/2014 8:01:22 PM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: nickcarraway

Send it to Washington D.C.
But the Obama might pollinate and multiply.


6 posted on 06/24/2014 8:01:55 PM PDT by Darksheare (Try my coffee, first one's free..... Even robots will kill for it!)
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To: yarddog

Saw a night blooming flower that smelled similar to “lemon fresh pledge” spray.
I have no idea what it was.
Have not seen one since.
The flowers were white, single stalk, don’t remember the leaves anymore,
It was 1989/1990 when I last saw it deerpark NY area.


7 posted on 06/24/2014 8:05:18 PM PDT by Darksheare (Try my coffee, first one's free..... Even robots will kill for it!)
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To: nickcarraway

sit on this hillarie


8 posted on 06/24/2014 8:07:32 PM PDT by Rannug ("all enemies, foreign and domestic")
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To: nickcarraway

Saw and smelled one of those at Queen Sirikit’s garden. Ever get too close to a very dead cow?


9 posted on 06/24/2014 8:10:47 PM PDT by JimSEA
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To: yarddog

“There is a rare flower...”

A stinkhorn?


10 posted on 06/24/2014 8:32:17 PM PDT by Born to Conserve
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To: All

Had one bloom in Houston a few years back. Attracted mobs of the curious.


11 posted on 06/24/2014 8:56:05 PM PDT by patriot08 (NATIVE TEXAN (girl type))
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To: Darksheare
That sounds like what we call a moon flower. Large white bugle like flowers, smells great and opens just about sundown. If you ever get them started you will have them every year.

Each flower dies every day, but developes a prickley pod of seeds. We love them, when blooming in mass, they are beautiful.

The large hummingbird moths love to work in them each night.

12 posted on 06/24/2014 10:19:08 PM PDT by annieokie
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To: annieokie

Weird.
Only saw it the once.
Not certain if those normally grow in NY or not.
Datura?
Looks familiar.
If it smells similar or reminds one of lemon pledge spray, that would be the flower.
Reading up on it, it is toxic like foxglove, nightshade, henbane and mandrake..


13 posted on 06/24/2014 10:36:48 PM PDT by Darksheare (Try my coffee, first one's free..... Even robots will kill for it!)
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To: Born to Conserve

I had to look it up but I don’t think that is it.


14 posted on 06/25/2014 7:00:21 AM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: Darksheare
That is what it smells like, we enjoy watching them open. Not sure of the real name of these, but we just call them Moon Flowers as they open in the late evening.

I heard that the seed pods are toxic, and some have used them for hallucinogens. When we heard that we pulled them all out, except you can't, lol. Once they are there they will come back year after year. Every flower will have a seed pod, so we try to pick those flowers off every day.

I am sure they would grow in NY, you just need to find the seeds, which are very prolific. A seed company will charge WAY more than they are worth, but they do put on a Grand show when in bloom.

Google Moon Flower, you will see the picture of what I have.

15 posted on 06/25/2014 7:49:42 AM PDT by annieokie
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