Stinky Corpse Flower blooms at the Huntington Library, but not for long

A putrid-smelling, not-so-dainty flower bloomed overnight in San Marino. The Huntington Library's Corpse Flower bloom emits the stench of rotten meat, and it attracts the curious who want to see and smell the rare plant.

Its scent has also been likened to stinky cheese or boiled cabbage, but the window of opportunity to take it in is very brief, as the bloom lasts for less than 24 hours once every few years. 

The short-lived Corpse Flower bloom size is part of the plant's lure, but Huntington Library Associate Curator Brandon Tam says it's really about the odor, which also attracts natural pollinators like flesh flies.

"Everyone's nose is a little different. But no one forgets the smell once you have smelled it," he said.

The plant grows from a large corm, a bulb-like tuber under the soil, and is native to the rainforests of western Sumatra, Indonesia. It can grow to more than 8 feet high and 4 feet in diameter.

There has been a Corpse Flower in bloom 28 times at the museum. The first one at the Huntington was in 1999, and it was historic as it was the first recorded bloom in California, according to Tam.

He said very few botanical gardens had the plant at the time, so it was the Huntington's mission to conserve and share them.

"One of our core responsibilities as a botanical garden is to share plants, propagating and distributing rare species to help ensure that they aren't lost," Tam said.

In honor of one of the most famous paintings housed at the museum, "The Blue Boy," this year's bloom is named "The Green Boy."

The Huntington is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. Reservations are required Friday through Sunday.