Titan Arum 2012 began to open Monday afternoon, has one day left
A Titan Arum that bloomed in the US In 2003
BASEL, SWITZERLAND – The world’s largest flower is in bloom in Basel, all 2.27 metres of stinky glory, a brief moment of splendour that has occurred only 163 times in botanical gardens around the world since records have been kept.
The natural home of the Titan Arum, sometimes called Titan’s Penis (check out the web cam shots, updated throughout the one night and day it blooms) is in the jungles of Sumatra but Basel has had the remarkable luck of having two of the flowers in 18 months.
Before that, the last time Titan Arum made a floral appearance in Switzerland was in 1936.
The botanical gardens in Basel will stay open for the night and until 23:00 Tuesday 20 November to welcome the curious and plant lovers who come despite the smell of spoiled meat given off by the flower. In April 2011 when the slightly shorter version, 2 metres tall, blossomed, some 25,000 people visited.
Details for visiting Titan Arum (scientific name: Amorphophallus titanum)
