The Adelaide Botanic Garden is getting ready for a whirlwind of an event! A corpse flower, whose formal name is titan arum, or Amorphophallus titanum, that’s about to bloom. The plant we call “Smellanie”, this year, is already towering over us at 1.7 meters tall. It might begin to bloom even this Friday! That signature malodorous bouquet that heralds its spectacularly smelly blooming probably won’t appear until later next week.
Matt Coulter, horticultural curator at the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia. For the last 20 years, Steve has been devoted to these amazing plants. He explained that even though the current bloom is on the cusp, it’s still not quite there yet.
“It could be possibly into early next week, but all the parameters at the moment are showing it’s still not quite ready to open — but it’s not far away.” – Matt Coulter
Expecting Increased Visitor Numbers
The Adelaide Botanic Garden experienced the best bloom ever in 2021, with 8,000 visitors in just one day! This year, officials are more optimistic to draw an even bigger crowd, exceeding 10,000 attendees. Given its phenomenal characteristics and rarity, “Smellanie” has created quite a buzz. Titan arums, the flowers responsible for this occurrence, are endangered in their native home of Sumatra, Indonesia.
This summer is an extraordinary time to be a corpse flower. In addition to “Smellanie,” five others will be flowering in a far-reaching and multi-sensory program by the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia. This campaign really started 20 years ago when we planted three seeds. Today, the collection has expanded to more than 250 plants, kept in a specialized glasshouse at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden.
A Dedicated Botanical Program
This continued success of this popular program is a testament to the knowledge and hard work of the staff that administer it. Michael Harvey, a staff member of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, commended the work of the targeted team.
“The growth of this collection, and the enjoyment it brings to the public, is a testament to the skill, dedication and expertise of our team,” – Michael Harvey
Earlier this month, four titan arums bloomed simultaneously at the Cairns Botanic Gardens, demonstrating the growing popularity and interest in these unusual plants across Australia. In the last decade there have been upwards of 20 separate corpse flower blooming events across the country.
A Relocation for Better Growth
Smellanie was recently moved from the Adelaide Hills to the Bicentennial Conservatory in Adelaide’s CBD, where it is now flourishing amid an array of other exotic tropical plants. Matt Coulter explained that other such collections do exist, but their value comes from their depth and diversity.
“So, even though there are some other people that might have some, our collection is regarded as probably the best in Australia because just for the pure numbers we’ve got.” – Matt Coulter
Ready and waiting for “Smellanie’s” first bloom. Visitors and plant lovers alike are counting the days until they have a chance to witness this extraordinary spectacle! A love for titan arums combined with a desire to educate people makes for an exciting combination. This unbeatable combination is what keeps bringing in both regulars and visitors.
