Corpse Flowers Bloom Across Australia: Get Ready for the Stink!

Once a vanishingly rare sight, the corpse flower is now blooming more commonly across Australia. In 2025 alone, more than a dozen of these distinctive plants flowered nationwide. Adelaide, known for its arid climate, has become an unexpected hub for propagating these Sumatran rainforest natives.

The Botanic Gardens of South Australia cultivates a significant collection, with over 250 plants across multiple generations, making it possibly the largest in the world. These flowers, notorious for their unpredictable nature and a potent aroma often compared to rotting matter, require extensive energy storage in underground tubers.

Public fascination with corpse flowers is immense, with thousands visiting to experience their unique smell. This curiosity is fueled by the plants' often personified nicknames, which help to overcome 'plant blindness' and engage the public. Australia also boasts its own native corpse varieties.

While precise prediction of blooming is challenging, involving a mix of horticultural expertise and luck, the increasing frequency of flowering suggests these pungent spectacles will become more accessible. The strategy behind the smell is to attract specific pollinators like flies and beetles.