You Can Buy Tickets To See A Disgustingly Stinky 'Corpse Flower' In Vancouver
Its name is "Uncle Fester" and it lets out "a powerful stench, similar to rancid or rotten meat" when it blooms.
On Wednesday, August 4, an especially stinky flower named Uncle Fester returned to the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver. The plant is expected to bloom soon and when it does, it releases "a powerful stench, similar to rancid or rotten meat."
So naturally, people are buying tickets to see this baby in person. Uncle Fester is an Amorphophallus titanum, also known as titan arum or corpse flower. It bloomed in Vancouver back in 2018 and while some won't bloom for another decade, others bloom every two to three years.
The rise and fall of Uncle Fester at Bloedel Conservatorywww.youtube.com
"Titan arum blooms are unpredictable and very rare. Most years, it produces a leaf, reaching up to 15 feet, to absorb energy from the sun. Once the corm has enough energy to produce a flower bud and attempt to reproduce, a stinky flower will unfold," said a press release from the Bloedel Conservatory.
On top of the flower itself, it also has a giant leaf. "The leaf of the titan arum is huge! It can grow up to 15 feet tall and has complex leaflets. The leaf gathers energy from the sun and stores it in the corm to save up energy for the next bloom," says the release. You can keep track of the plant's growth online.
When Uncle Fester last bloomed in British Columbia, it was the first time ever and thousands of people came to witness the sight and stench for themselves.
Now, you can buy tickets to do the same.
Uncle Fester at the Bloedel Conservatory
Price: $7.05 for adults
Address: Bloedel Conservatory, 4600 Cambie St., Vancouver, BC
Why You Need To Go: See this history-making flower bloom before it goes dormant for years. You need to smell it to believe it.