FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Colorado is at the center of the botany world as a rare flower has bloomed at Colorado State University.
A corpse flower bloomed Saturday at the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Conservatory at Colorado State University.
The plant, which can grow up to 8 feet tall, releases a corpse-like smell during bloom. The smell aims to lure pollinators like carrion beetles and flies. The stinky flowers are at the base of the plant.
It's the first bloom for the flower which has been under the university's care for seven years.
The public is invited to view (and smell) the corpse flower while it blooms. There is also a free web live stream of the corpse flower bloom.
Colorado State University (CSU) said the flower — named Cosmo — had 4,444 visitors on Sunday with wait times ranging from one hour to 90 minutes.
The corpse flower will be available for viewing again on the Memorial Day Monday holiday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bloom usually lasts 24-48 hours, so visitors will still have something to see on Monday.
CSU said visitors should bring water and snacks as needed. Line formation will end at 2 p.m., but people in line at 2 p.m. will get through the doors, CSU said.
The public can view the flower at the CSU Plant Growth Facility Conservatory at 1241 Libbie Coy Way. Visitors can park in the South College Avenue Garage at 121 W. Pitkin St.
When the bloom first happens, corpse flowers emits an odor that has been compared to the smell of decaying flesh. This odor becomes less pronounced after the first 12-24 hours, and the bloom itself only lasts for around two to three days.
The corpse flower, or Amorphophallus titanum, was brought to the Fort Collins campus during a plant swap and named Cosmo in 2016. Cosmo’s "parents," Maudine and Woody, both came from Ohio State University and were "born" on May 24, 2013.
“This is a rare occasion and a big deal because it will be the first bloom for the corpse flower here at CSU,” CSU Plant Growth Facilities Manager Tammy Brenner said.
Corpse flower at CSU
“Cosmo came out of dormancy around three weeks ago, and we didn’t expect anything exciting,” Brenner said. “But then two weeks ago, it started looking a little bit more full, a little bit more plump. It started growing and shooting out stalks, and we realized something really big was about to happen.”
Throughout the year, the corpse flower produces a giant stem-like structure and a leaf but goes dormant in the fall when students return to campus from summer break.
“It looks a little sad, so we usually hide it in the back so no one thinks we’re killing it,” Brenner said.
CSU has a few researchers taking advantage of this rare opportunity. They're weighing Cosmo to find out how much weight it gains, and they've aimed a thermal camera at it to see how much energy the plant generates while blooming.
"Rumor has it, based on some data we've pulled up, it can reach about 90 degrees in the center of the plant," Brenner said.
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