More Malodorous Plants and Carrion Flowers
We've already explored how the Titan Arum uses its noxious perfume to help with pollination, but the plant doesn't stop there. Botanists also theorize that the plant's fleshy pink color and unusually warm temperature (about the same as the human body) help complete the illusion that the plant is a giant hunk of decaying meat for insects to lay their eggs in. In addition, the plant uses its height and warmth (following the famous equation "bad smell + hot car = extra bad smell") to help spread waves of stench far and wide. In fact, insects can detect Titan Arum's scent up to a half mile away [source: UNC Charlotte].
The Durian Fruit Flowers aren't the only thing in the plant kingdom capable of making
people hold their noses. The durian, an Asian fruit with a nutty,
complex flavor, has such a pungent odor that some hotels and
restaurants have banned it. The durian's smell comes from sulfurous
compounds, the same compounds you'd find in rotten eggs. And while many
people find the smell objectionable, others go crazy for it. In fact,
efforts to create a less stinky version of the fruit have been met with
strong protest from the durian's fans, who insist that the stronger the
smell, the better the flavor. |
Titan Arum isn't the only plant with an eye-watering stink, which may be why it works so hard to stand out from its malodorous brethren. Plants that reek of dead animals fittingly fall under the category of carrion flowers. Not only do carrion flowers smell like rotting meat, they also tend to look the part. For instance, the Stapelia asterias flower is coated with fine hairs that make the flower resemble moldy meat. Rafflesia arnoldi, the world's largest flower, is another fleshy carrion flower located in the forests of Sumatra.
As beautiful as many carrion flowers are, you'll never find one in a bouquet at your local florist. Not only do carrion flowers reek, many are also very rare and hard to grow. Still, none of these flowers seem to have the ability to turn stomachs like the Titan Arum, and the corpse flower wouldn't have it any other way.
Keep reading for more gardening links you might like.
