A Stinky and Rare Sight is Happening at the Como Zoo Right Now

Usually flowers smell really nice, but not this one. There are some really bizarre flowers that are massive, don't bloom very often, and when they do bloom, we're in for a REALLY stinky smell.

These things are called corpse flowers, and there's one blooming right now in Minnesota.

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Where Can You Find Corpse Flowers?

You're not going to find these in the wild in Minnesota or anywhere in the US. The United States Botanic Garden writes that they are native the the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia.

In the rainforest, they can get to be a whopping 12 feet tall, but in botanical gardens, they get to be around 9 feet tall. Still huge!

Why is it Called a Corpse Flower?

It's called a corpse flower simply because that's how it smells. Yes, really. It's described as smelling like rotting flesh.

The best part? You don't need to be up close to the flower to smell it! (*sarcasim*)

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Why Do Corpse Flowers Smell So Bad?

The reason for the stink and why the smell can be picked up from so far away is to attract pollinators that are attracted to corpses.

It's important that they attract as many pollinators as possible because of their short, rare, and unpredictable blooming time.

How Often Do Corpse Flowers Bloom?

The first bloom of a corpse flower won't happen for 7-10 years, according to Iowa State University. After the first bloom, it then blooms only once every 4-5 years.

So they don't bloom very often, but they also don't bloom for very long, either. The United States Botanic Garden says they bloom for only 2-3 days.

Corpse Flower Blooming at the Como Zoo

If you want to catch a whiff of the corpse flower for yourself, you'll want to move fast! The corpse flower blooming in Minnesota right now is at the Como Zoo.

The zoo declares on their website:

The wait is over! It stinks!

Earlier on Wednesday, they shared on Facebook that one of their corpse flowers has begun blooming, the stench is wafting through the Palm Dome (where it's being kept at the moment), and we don't have much time to go see it.

The Como Zoo confirms,

Yes, the smell is exactly what you hoped (or feared) it would be.

If you're able to get there today (Wednesday), you'll for sure be able to catch a whiff. I'd imagine tomorrow you'll be able to as well (and the bloom might be even better and more open then, too). Friday is a little hit or miss.

If you want to try and plan a trip to the Como Zoo or if you want to observe from a distance, safe for your nose, the Como Zoo has a live video of the corpse flower blooming, so you can watch for yourself!

Side note, can I just say these things look so weird and ugly? So, on top of the fact that it smells terrible, it's not even pretty. Nature is so weird, and I love it!