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The Sydney Botanic Gardens’ corpse flower is blooming and we’re obsessed

It's the wholesome event we all needed.
Corpse FlowerImage: Robert Buchel/Getty Images

For the first time in 15 years, ‘Putricia’, the legendary corpse flower at the Sydney Botanic Gardens bloomed – and yes, we were fully invested. If you’ve never heard of this botanical diva before, don’t worry – you’re not alone. But trust us, once you dive into the bizarre world of the Amorphophallus titanum (yes, that’s its real name), you’ll understand why this is such a big deal.

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How big? Well, big enough that the Botanic Gardens set up a livestream (which has since ended) so plant enthusiasts, casual fans and curious onlookers alike can witness the slow-motion drama unfold. Yes, it’s painstakingly slow. Yes, the changes are almost imperceptible. But somehow, that’s what makes it so hypnotising.

Thousands tuned in, bonding over this strange yet captivating floral event. One viewer commented, “I’m not crazy, right? It has moved a little over the past hours.” Another replied, “Go back six hours and you can see the left side petals have slightly moved away from the central shaft!” It’s like a botanical soap opera, but with fewer plot twists and more petal movement.

Corpse Flower
Amorphophallus titanum is the largest flowering plant, also referred to as corpse flower due to its deathly smell. (Photgraphy: Fadil Aziz/Getty Images)

What makes this moment so special is the flower’s unpredictability. The corpse flower only blooms once every few years – or sometimes even decades – making each bloom a rare spectacle. One dedicated fan asked, “Should I take the day off tomorrow?” Were they joking? We’re honestly not sure.

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For those brave enough to visit in person, they got the full sensory experience: the corpse flower isn’t just known for its size or rarity. Its pièce de résistance is its smell, famously likened to rotting fish or, as some describe it, “death warmed up”. Hence, her nickname ‘Putricia’ – a combination of ‘putrid’ and ‘Patricia’.

Thankfully, the livestream didn’t come with smell-o-vision, but if you’re local, you could have popped down to the Botanic Gardens to experience the spectacle (although the queues were LONG with several hours to get in).

@botanicsydney

PUTRICIA QUEUE UPDATE: It is a three and half hour wait from the back of the queue. People at the back are now likely to enter at midnight. We will be closing the queue soon.

♬ original sound – Botanic Gardens of Sydney

After days of very slowly revealing herself, Putricia was in full bloom by Friday, January 24. This didn’t last long, as she stood tall and proud for only 24 hours. Her stalk bowed quickly and by Friday evening she was looking rather limp.

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By Saturday, January 25, the livestream had sadly ended, so we all had to go back to our jobs, without one eye on Putricia. Sigh. The good news is, the livestream will return in the form of a timelapse in the coming week, so she’ll be gone but not forgotten.

Did you join the thousands glued to their screens, watching the livestream? Or better yet, did you risk the pungent aroma to see it in person? Either way, one thing was clear: this corpse flower was having her moment, and we were all here for it.

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