‘Green Boy,’ the corpse flower at The Huntington, is finally blooming

Things were getting stinky at The Huntington on Thursday, July 13.

After several days of keeping us guessing, the famous “Corpse Flower” at the The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is performing its yearly odiferous bloom.

The crowds were gathering to see the bloom after this year’s flower, nicknamed Green Boy, flirted with onlookers in recent days.

But even though it happens yearly, it’s still a rare look.

The bloom typically only lasts just 24-48 hours, and is known as one of the rarest and shortest-lived spectacles in the plant world.

The Amorphophallus titanum is known for its towering height and infamous odor. Native to limestone hills in the rainforests of western Sumatra, Indonesia, the plant is endangered in the wild and blooms infrequently, according to The Huntington.

The plant can grow to as much as 12 feet tall, blooming only once every two to three years, and emitting a powerful stench when it does.

Visitors can view (and smell) the plant, nicknamed Green Boy, during regular public hours. A 24-hour live-stream is also be available at huntington.org/corpse-flower. According to The Huntington’s website, the plant has grown 30 inches in height in the past eight days, now measuring 55.5 inches.

“A Corpse Flower bloom is one of nature’s most extraordinary events — and a rare opportunity to spark curiosity about plants and highlight The Huntington’s conservation mission,” said Nicole Cavender, the Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens. “Every bloom connects visitors to the incredible diversity of the plant world and underscores our work here — through horticulture, research, education, and conservation efforts — to protect endangered species and their habitats.”

City News Service contributed to this report.