come, stay for a while

The titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) flower rarely blooms, but when it does, the sight—and smell—can be utterly breathtaking. This plant’s giant bloom can grow up to 9 ft (2.7 m) tall and emits a powerful perfume that resembles the stench of rotting flesh. Why? To some insects, it’s a seductive scent, luring potential pollinators toward the female parts of the flower, where they can pick up pollen and carry it off to fertilize other flowers. This spectacular display is short lived, occurring for only about three days once every two or three years.

“Don’t you think it would be wonderful to get rid of everything and everybody and just go some place where you don’t know a soul?”

— Haruki Murakami

''When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.''