Characteristics and Habitat:

• Native to Sumatra, Indonesia; endangered due to habitat loss with fewer than 1,000 individuals in the wild
• The plant grows from an underground tuber called a corm, which stores energy
• Corms must weigh at least 20 lbs to bloom; the largest recorded corm is 339 lbs

Growth Cycle:

• Sprouts a large leaf stalk, remaining for 12-18 months before dying back and going dormant for ~6 months
• This cycle repeats for 5-10 years before the plant blooms
• Blooming frequency varies and is unpredictable; the flower smells like rotting flesh to attract carrion flies/beetles for pollination
• The flower stays open for 24-48 hours before wilting
• Cataphylls drying and falling off signal the flower will open in 2-3 days

Blooming Process:

• Spadix structure heats up (90-98°F) to release odor and attract pollinators
• Male and female flowers grow in rings around the spadix base; female flowers open first, followed by male flowers to prevent self-pollination

‍Mitchell Park Domes Conservatory Bloom Timeline:

• Original corm obtained from UW Madison's greenhouse around 2007. Parks have 8 cloned off-shoot corms
• "Pepe le Pew" initial bloom June 2018
• "Pig Pen" initial bloom July 2021
• "Stinkerbelle" initial bloom August 2021
• "Musky" initial bloom July 2023
• "U'Reeka" initial bloom May 2024
• "Penelope" initial bloom June 2024
• "Pepe le Pew" second bloom (6 years after initial) alongside "Penelope" in June 2024