The species name, Amorphophallus titanum, is translated to mean: ‘huge deformed penis’, owing to is large ‘spadix’. This particular plant is an off-cut from a plant grown at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens, whose seed was brought back from a trip to Sumatra with Sir David Attenborough in 1993. 

The centra ‘spadix’ structure of the Titan Arum grows about 10cm a day. It can grow to just under 3m.

More than 16,000 visitors have flocked to the gardens to witness the event, which began about 5 March, 2015. Despite having one of the largest inflorescences of any plant the Titan Arum only blooms for two to three days before it begins to decay. 

For visitors who missed out on seeing it this time, you may not have to wait too much longer to see the Titan Arum flower again. Usually its takes four to five years for a plant to produce another flower, but the Royal Botanic Gardens have witnessed three Titan Arum flowerings in as many years. 

In its native country, Indonesia, the common name translates to ‘corpse flower’ because of its foul odour it releases when it blooms. “It’s a bit like having a dead possum in the roof,” says Tim Entwhisle, the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens. “It only smells for the first day or two, so visitors who come after this don’t really get the full experience.” 

The Titan Arum at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens stands tall on 10 March 2015. Even though the species typically flowers every 4-5 years, this one flowered in 2014 as well. Another plant of the same species at the botanic gardens flowered in 2013.

More than 16,000 visitors have flocked to the gardens to witness the event. Despite having one of the largest inflorescences of any plant the Titan Arum only blooms for two to three days before it begins to decay. The plant measured just under 2.6m on 8 March 2015. 

Visitors to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne have been treated to a burst of colour and the stench of rotting flesh as an enormous Titan Arum plant blossomed. David Robbins measures the Titan Arum plant at 168cm on 5 March 2015.

The whole mature plant can weigh 70kg, with the underground tuber weighing another 100kg. Its foul odour, released as it opens, attracts meat-eating insects. But the process only goes for 2-3 days and the plant may not flower again for a few years.