Audio
Archive
2013
January
February
March
April
May
2012
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2011
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2010
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2009
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2008
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2007
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Subscribe
Jun. 12, 2009
Raising a Stink over a Flower in Bloom
Click 
to enlarge images
to enlarge images
|
|
Tweet |
| Botanists expect a very rare, very large, and very stinky flower to bloom this week in California. We'll check in on the progress of the flowering of the Amorphophallus titanum (a.k.a. the Titan Arum and the Corpse Flower). To date, only about 50 such flowerings have been recorded in the United States. A plant can go years between blooms -- but when one does bloom, a plant can reach over 6 feet tall, and 3 or 4 feet in diameter. Dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide produced by the bloom gives the plant a very distictive aroma. |
Produced by Annette Heist, Senior Producer
Guests
-
Kitty Connolly
Botanical Education Manager
Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens
San Marino, California
FEATURED READING
Brilliant Blunders
by Mario Livio
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED BLOG POSTS
- Three Insect Recipes to Help the Arthropods Go Down
Insects pack a protein punch. Get the most of your meal with these recipes.
- Alien Invaders, Baby Seal Brains, and More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our ...
- The Buzz on Flies
There's more to flies than meets the eye.
- Book Review: Britain's Hoverflies
Recently we were sent a book on hoverflies to review. And it was epic.
Discussion