SYDNEY — The unique event of an endangered plant blooming, which gives off a scent reminiscent of decomposing flesh, lured hundreds of enthusiastic visitors to a greenhouse in Sydney on Thursday. These devoted fans eagerly formed three-hour lines to witness this remarkable blossom, notorious for its odor that some likened to a blend of gym socks and rotting trash.
The plant, known scientifically as amorphophallus titanum, is locally referred to as bunga bangkai in Indonesia, where it is native to the Sumatran rainforest. Among its admirers, the plant has been affectionately named Putricia—a combination of the terms “putrid” and “Patricia.” Diehard fans, who have dubbed themselves “Putricians,” have embraced this name as they awaited her bloom. For the past week, Putricia has stood prominently on display in the Royal Sydney Botanic Garden, framed by a purple curtain and surrounded by mist from a humidifier.
Her rapid rise in popularity is noteworthy, with nearly 20,000 visitors flocking to see her unfurl since her bloom began. It has been 15 years since a corpse flower last bloomed in this garden, making this occasion particularly special.
The corpse flower is quite rare in flowering, typically blooming only once every 7 to 10 years in its natural habitat. “The rare blooming acts as a disadvantage for their survival in the wild,” said Sophie Daniel, a representative for the garden who designed Putricia’s whimsical and somber display. “They rely on other flowers nearby for pollination when they bloom since they cannot pollinate themselves.” There are an estimated 300 of these plants in the wild, and fewer than 1,000 across the globe, which includes cultivated specimens like Putricia, who arrived at the garden seven years ago.
Upon first being noted in December, Putricia was merely 25 centimeters (10 inches) tall. By Thursday, she reached a height of 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches) as her flower spike opened, resembling a pleated skirt around a central tuber, with the outer yellow-green layers curling back to unveil a striking burgundy center.
As anticipation reached an all-time high in Sydney, staff erected crowd barriers to create an atmosphere akin to a rock concert around the Victorian greenhouse. Visitors walked a red carpet to get a glimpse of Putricia from behind velvet ropes, inspired by elements of Queen Victoria’s funeral, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the works of the late filmmaker David Lynch.
Inside the greenhouse, fans posed for selfies and leaned in to smell the increasingly potent fragrance of Putricia. One young woman appeared to bow in admiration, while staff made headlines on social media through a viral dance to Chappell Roan’s summer hit “HOT TO GO!” staged in front of the notable plant. The unprecedented following for the majestic and aromatic flower left people wondering about its appeal, as Daniel observed the “reverence” that visitors felt towards “such an amazing living being.”
Putricia’s fame has also escalated online, with an unusual yet compelling global digital presence that generated considerable interest without any of the actual smell. The botanic garden established a 24/7 live stream that accumulated around a million views in less than a week, leading to a heartfelt community of memes and inside jokes among enthusiasts. Terms like WWTF (we watch the flower), WDNRP (we do not rush Putricia), and BBTB (blessed be the bloom) became popular. One poster mused that “Putricia is a metaphor for my life,” although they did not explain further.
Plans on social media surged as commenters expressed a desire to witness the plant’s bloom before it disappeared. With just 24 hours until her bloom—and her odor—vanished, many were eager to experience Putricia. As the bloom opened, the temperature around her would rise to 37 degrees Celsius (100 F) to spread her scent effectively, drawing flies and carrion beetles to assist with pollination. Following this, experts plan to manually pollinate the plant to promote species diversity and survival.
For now, though, thousands of devoted Putricians aim to get as close as possible to their floral idol of the week. “We did contemplate giving out vomit bags at first,” Daniel shared, though they ultimately decided against it. “I haven’t heard of anyone actually being harmed.”
