Amorphophallus titanum aka Titan Arum

Amorphophallus titanum is part of the arum family, Araceae. Its common names are titan arum and corpse flower. It comes from western Sumatra, which has a wet tropical climate. The plant stores reserves in a tuber below ground. Chicago Botanic Garden calls this storage organ a corm. It can weigh more than 100 pounds. The plant grows upright, with its bloom rising above ground. Its great size and strong scent stand out most.

A titan arum in bloom stands 6–8 feet [1.8–2.4 metres] tall. What looks like one huge flower is an inflorescence. This term means a group of flowers on one structure. Many small flowers make up this huge bloom. It is the world's largest inflorescence that does not branch. The spike at its centre is called a spadix. It rises from the corm below the ground. A leaf with a changed form wraps around the spike. This leaf is called a spathe. The female flowers form a ring near the spadix's base. Chicago Botanic Garden lists white, green, and purple as bloom colours. Together, these parts form the plant's large show of flowers.

The name corpse flower refers to its foul smell. The spathe grows warm as it opens up. The female flowers then give off their scent. This smell draws pollinators to the group of flowers. The plant needs years to build reserves for this event. Its first bloom tends to take seven to ten years to develop. The full bloom cycle lasts only one or two days. Chicago Botanic Garden lists bloom times from January through August. This does not mean each plant blooms through all those months. The brief show comes after a much longer wait.

Chicago Botanic Garden lists full sun or part shade for growing. It also lists moist soil and USDA hardiness zones 7–10. The wet tropical climate of its home helps frame its growing needs. The garden lists it as a plant for beds and borders. It also lists its use as a specimen plant. The tall bloom gives the eye a clear point of focus. The same source says it draws butterflies and resists deer. Its strong smell shapes how gardeners enjoy the show. So does its short bloom cycle.