Recently, the bright red fruits of two Titan Arums (Amorphophallus titanum) have ripened in China National Botanical Garden in China's capital Beijing. Records showed this is the first time that the plants produced fruits under cultivation in a botanical garden across China. The single fruit is about 2.5 centimeters in length according to the staff at the garden.
Endangered 'corpse flowers' fruit at China National Botanical Garden (Image by CFP)
Titan Arum is also called "corpse flower" because of its stinky corpse-like smell to attract pollinators when it's in full bloom. The species is endemic to the rainforests on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, but it is introduced to botanical gardens worldwide.
When the plant is flowering, the inner flower spike, known as spadix, can reach more than 3 meters (9.8 feet) in height. However, the flower only blooms for no more than two days. After pollination, the upper spadix collapses, and bright red fruits are produced at the lower part of the spadix.
Importantly, unlike other plants, Titan Arum flowers occasionally and its florescence is unpredictable, which makes it even more difficult to harvest its fruits. The species is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Endangered 'corpse flowers' fruit at China National Botanical Garden
(All images via CFP)
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) witnessed on Tuesday a once-in-a-decade event as the giant corpse flower bloomed. The unique Amorphophallus titanum, commonly known as titan arum or the corpse flower, opened its inflorescence quickly, leaving visitors with jaws dropped, and perhaps, nostrils closed.
Titan Arum plant (Amorphophallus titanum) also known as the Corpse Flower, only blooms for an average of 48 hours. A night event was held at the National Botanical Garden, where visitors can enjoy the rare blooming.
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