'We watch the flower': Thousands anticipate 'corpse flower' rare bloom

"Putricia" garners strong internet following with thousands tuned into a livestream awaiting its bloom

Web Desk

January 22, 2025

Visitors look at a blooming Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum), one of the worlds largest and rare tropical flowering plants, at Basels Botanical Garden September 29, 2014. — Reuters — Visitors look at a blooming Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum), one of the world's largest and rare tropical flowering plants, at Basel's Botanical Garden September 29, 2014. — Reuters

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" due to its musty smell has garnered the attention of thousands of internet users who have tuned in to a live stream ahead of its blossoming.

The titan arum or amorphophallus titanum as it is known scientifically, is housed at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney and blooms every few years for just 24 hours.

The plant is affectionately called Putricia and will release a foul smell upon its opening which is described as "wet socks, hot cat food, or rotting possum flesh", according to BBC.

The uncertainty with Putricia's bloom has brought forth jokes and even a unique term with thousands commenting in the livestream's chat with "WWTF", short for "we watch the flower".

For now, Putricia is standing still and silent in front of a brown curtain, behind a red velvet rope. From time to time, a visitor pops inside and snaps a selfie with the beloved plant.

Visitors get a load of a blooming corpse flower in Basel, Switzerland in 2013. — Reuters

Once she blooms and shows her full glory, viewers can expect Putricia to unfold a vibrant maroon or crimson skirt, known as a spathe, around her spadix which is the large spike in the centre of the plant.

It is hard to predict exactly when Putricia will bloom, the Garden said.

However, that has not stopped people from awaiting her bloom.

"I'm back again to see how Putricia is going and I can see she's still taking her time like the queen she is, fair play," wrote one commenter.

"This is the slowest burlesque ever," said another.

"Overnight I watched, fell asleep, awoke, watched, fell asleep. I am weak, but Putricia is strong. WWTF," another comically wrote.

The viewers are using other acronyms such as WDRNP (We do not rush Putricia) and BBTB (Blessed be the bloom).

The endangered plant can only be found in the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia where they call it "bunga bangkai" or the "corpse flower" in Indonesian.

It can grow up to 3 metres (10 feet) tall and weigh up to 150kg, it also contains hundreds of flowers in the base of its spadix.

Titan arum is an endangered plant in the wild due to deforestation and land degradation.

Putricia is one of the several titan arums in the Garden which last bloomed 15 years ago.