The Titan Arum, or Corpse Flower, is a rare rainforest plant native to Sumatra, Indonesia. It is related to European Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum) and the North American Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) of the Arum family. It forms the largest functional flower (inflorescence) in the plant kingdom that can be more than 2 meters tall: a brownish-red, funnel-shaped bract surrounds a large, yellowish spadix. In the first few hours after blooming, the spadix emits a foul odor resembling that of rotting flesh, attracting pollinators such as carrion beetles and flesh flies.

This gigantic flower growths from a huge underground corm. The plant can only bloom when the corm weighs more than 20 kg. The flower appears only after a resting period of the corm. It takes 3-4 months for the flower to develop. However, it blooms for a very short period of time, only lasting for 2-3 days/nights.

The Titan Arum will bloom for the first time in the specially designed heated "Titan Arum Arena", within the new tropical greenhouse, at the end of June. The heated basin simulates the necessary soil temperature of 24°C required for the flower to bloom. These specific conditions were made possible through generous sponsorship as part of the construction of the tropical house.

Would you like to learn more about the titanium root? Here you can download the list of frequently asked questions (and answers):

FAQ Titanwurz

Development, inflorescence and wilting of the Titan Arum on June 26, 2023 timelapse (on Youtube)