Swarthmore's Amorphophallus titanum

corpse flower bloom 2025

April 1, 2025 - An April Fools stinky surprise - Our corpse flower is in BLOOM!

 
Lenny bloomed sometime last night!  He thought the perfect April fools' prank would be to grace everyone with his stink.
 
The greenhouse will be open all day today and tomorrow (4/1 & 4/2). Feel free to stop by anytime to see and smell Lenny. Singer 425.
 
Tonight (4/1) there will be another showing with some of our Biology faculty and students from 7-10pm (peak bloom happens at night).
This Corpse Flower is relatively young, so we are not sure how long it will be in flower. Tonight is likely the only guaranteed night that we will have to see Lenny in full bloom, but the GH open house during the day and night will continue until the bloom period ends.
We hope to see you all there!
 

 

Swarthmore College has been home to our Titan Arum for over twelve years, and the last time it bloomed was 2021. It is now 2025 and it is ready to bloom again!  Check back here often for updates on how to see Lenny.

What is a Titan Arum?
The Amorphophallus titanum, commonly known as the Corpse Flower, is the largest inflorescence in the world, growing up to 6 to 8 feet in height and weighing over 120 pounds. A native of the equatorial rainforests on the island of Sumatra, this plant rarely flowers, whether in the wild or a greenhouse. The plant takes up to 10 years or more to store enough energy to produce a bloom. 

Why is it so special?
The Titan Arum is a tough plant to cultivate and even far more challenging to predict flowering. Titans require special growing conditions. The plant in its leaf phase can grow as tall as 20 feet. Temperatures must be maintained at or around 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity at or around 80%. When Lenny reemerged as a flower bud, it grew fast, on average 4 inches a day! One of the unique characteristics of this plant is the burst of putrid scent the flower releases over a short period. This scent will attract the essential insects required for pollination. 

 

 

 


 

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