#corpse flowers

The central chamber of a carrion flower (Rafflesia sp.) in Malaysia

JSHK Spooktober 2021

Day 6: Grim Reaper

If you ever decide to stay at school overnight, be sure to stay awake or else your soul will attract The God of Death.

Lycoris radiata (aka. Red Spider Lily) is associated with death. Since these scarlet flowers usually bloom near cemeteries around the autumnal equinox, they are described in Chinese and Japanese as ominous flowers that grow in Hell and guide the dead into the next reincarnation. Perhaps because of these legends, people often used these flowers in funerals. 

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These fucks can reach over 3 meters/10 feet tall. They're usually 6-8 ft/1.8-2.4 m though.

They're called corpse flowers because they smell like rotting meat when in bloom. And you see that yellow bit in the center? that's the spadix, it's about the temp of a human body during bloom. This is to attract carrion-eating beetles, flesh flies, and other carcass eating insects to pollinate it.

The spathe (flower petal looking bit) stays open for about 12 hours before wilting (although it can stay open for 24 to 48 hours), when it's open the female flowers can receive pollen. It opens around mid afternoon to late evening, and stays open all night when the insects are most active. As it wilts the female flowers get less receptive to the pollen.

To prevent self pollination, the male parts of the flower open a bit later than the female parts. Although self pollination can still occur and has created fertile seeds.

It takes about 7-10 years for the corpse flower to bloom for the first time and after that it can take anywhere from 2-3 years to 7-10 years for blooms to happen. When it's not blooming it makes a massive leaf that looks like a small tree that dies and regrows every year. Which looks like this:

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Yeah that whole thing is considered 1 singular leaf. And it dies and regrows every year.

Here's it's flower and leaf cycle:

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Here's a timelapse of one blooming from The Chicago Botanic Garden

A Corpse Flower in Bloom is a Beautiful—but Pungent—Experience. The Strong Smell Attracts Pollinators to a Flower that May be Produced Only Once Every Few Years. United States Botanic Garden

Due to a Shallow Genetic Pool, Corpse Flowers in Botanic Gardens and in the Wild are at Risk of Being Wiped Out. Scientists are Working Together to Conserve this Unforgettable Species. United States Botanic Garden

Arborist Stephen Jones Uses a Paint Brush to Pollinate a Corpse Flower Bloom at the U.S. Botanic Garden last September. United States Botanic Garden