NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — For a limited time only, you can go visit one of the largest and smelliest flowers on Earth at Nashville Zoo.
A press release from Nashville Zoo at Grassmere said that a corpse flower, or Amorphophallus titanum, is on display while blooming at the zoo's HCA Healthcare Veterinary Center. The plant earns its common name from rotting flesh odor when in full bloom.
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That odor attracts carrion flies and beetles that pollinate the plant in its native Sumatra, according to the zoo. The plant spends part of its life as an underground tuber, sprouting as a leaf that looks like a small tree. After getting large enough as a leaf and repeating this cycle multiple times, then the titan arum will bloom.
However, those blooming periods are unpredictable. They depend on the plant's growing conditions. The zoo stated that the plant can bloom between every two and three years under ideal conditions, though other specimens only bloom every seven to 10 years.
The 12-year-old plant, named Zeus, typically lives at Austin Peay State University's College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Greenhouse. However, a spokesperson for the college stated that recent storms have made the greenhouse unsuitable for guests until the repairs are done.
“We are thrilled that the Nashville Zoo will host Zeus until our greenhouse is repaired,” said Dr. Karen Meisch, dean of the College of STEM. “We’re relieved to know he’ll be in great hands and where so many can enjoy him during his bloom period.”
Horticulture Manager David Farrow will lead Nashville Zoo staff in Zeus' care until the STEM greenhouse is repaired. The zoo has six of its own titan arums, including Zeus' sibling named Carmen, which bloomed in 2020. The zoo has also previously hosted other loan titan arums during their bloom periods, including one from a private collection in Franklin in April 2021.
The blooming period only lasts for one or two days; zoo visitors will get the chance to experience Zeus' characteristic odor up close. If you can't make it in person, you can also watch a live stream of Zeus during his bloom period here.