Putricia the flower: The most dramatic blooming in the last 15 years
The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney has witnessed a historic event as the rare Amorphophallus titanum, commonly known as the Corpse Flower, bloomed for the first time in 15 years, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The extraordinary occurrence attracted over 20,000 visitors eager to observe and smell the unique flower.
“Found only in the rainforests of western Sumatra, the rare and endangered Corpse Flower plant is renowned for the smell of putrid, rotting flesh that surrounds the flowers when it blooms,” Botanic Gardens of Sydney’s page says about the unique flower.
A touch of Victorian drama and a Lynchian twist inspired Sophie Daniel, Manager of Interpretation & Placemaking, in adorning Putricia's throne. #sydneycorpseflower #wwtf #wdrnp pic.twitter.com/ssYIhpr1CR
— Botanic Gardens of Sydney (@BotanicSydney) January 21, 2025
The plant, affectionately named "Putricia," a mix of Patricia and Putrid, displayed its bloom for just 24 hours. This phenomenon occurs only once every 7–10 years in its natural habitat. Fewer than 1,000 of these endangered plants are known to exist globally, with just 300 found in the wild. Before 2025, blooms in Sydney were recorded in 2010, 2008, 2004, and twice in 2006.
Sophie Daniel, a spokesperson for the Botanic Gardens, highlighted the magnificence of the flower, saying, “Putrisha is astounding. She is glorious. She is stunning.” To honor the occasion, the garden prepared a display “that was really up to the standard of exactly what she deserves.”
Visitors were welcomed with a regal setting as they approached the corpse flower along a red-carpeted path bordered by palms and red bollards. Framed by a velvet curtain and surrounded by lush greenery, Putricia was displayed alongside botanical relatives, including another Amorphophallus titanum in its leaf stage. This elegant arrangement, as described by Sophie Daniel, enhanced the flower’s beauty and emphasized its origins in the rainforests of Sumatra.
“The inspiration for the display was really Queen Victoria's funeral crossed with a little shop of horrors, a little homage to David Lynch, with some gothic funeral parlor vibe and a dash of vintage sideshow thrown in just for fun. We are displaying her in the Palm House, which dates from 1876, which is the Victorian age, and that idea of visiting royalty and all of the pomp and grandeur and ceremony that would have gone along with that is something that we wanted our visitors to feel when they visit Putrisha,” she explained.
The flower's dramatic bloom was live-streamed to a global audience, gathering nearly two million views and bringing together a community of plant enthusiasts from around the world.
“Thank you for the wonderful journey. And watching Putricia grow into a beautiful, stinky flower,” one user commented. Others highlighted the shared experience, with one noting, “The whole community surrounding this live stream is beautiful. Thank you for letting us watch the flower. I'm so glad I could be a part of this!”
Off-line visitors to the Botanic Garden waited up to 3.5 hours to experience the bloom firsthand. Many described the flower’s pungent scent similar to that of rotting food, dirty socks, or even roadkill, a fitting tribute to its nickname, the ‘corpse flower.’
The garden’s team plans to pollinate the rare flower to preserve its genetic lineage and distribute it worldwide, ensuring future generations can marvel at its extraordinary bloom.
Kazakhstan also strives to preserve its botanical heritage with the establishment of the Center for the Study and Preservation of the Sievers Apple Tree in Almaty, as previously reported by Kazinform.
