Thousands of stinking plants await the rare bloom

An endangered plant known as the ‘corpse flower’ for its putrid stench is about to bloom in Australia, and has captivated the internet in the process, with thousands already tuning in to the live stream ahead of its big debut.

The Titan arum plant, located in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens, blooms for 24 hours only once every few years.

Affectionately named Putricia, she will give off an odor described as “wet socks, hot cat food or rotting opossum meat”.

The long wait and uncertainty of when Putricia will bloom has created jokes and even unique speech on live chat, with thousands of people saying “WWTF” or “We see the flower”.

The current view is not much: Putricia stands tall and silent in front of a brown curtain, comfortably positioned behind a red velvet rope. Sometimes a visitor steps into the frame while taking a selfie with the plant.

But when it blooms, viewers can expect to see Putricia spreading a vivid brown or crimson skirt, known as a spathe, around the spadix, the plant’s large central spike.

Gardens say it is “difficult to predict” when Putricia will bloom, but that hasn’t stopped thousands flocking online.

“I’m back again to see how Putricia is doing and I see she’s still taking her time like the queen she is, fair play,” one commenter wrote. “This is the slowest burlesque ever,” said another.

Yet another person wrote: “I saw it overnight, fell asleep, woke up, saw it, fell asleep. I’m weak, but Putricia is strong. WWTF.”

Other popular acronyms among viewers are WDNRP (We Do Not Rush Putricia) and BBTB (Blessed Be The Bloom).

The plant can only be found in the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is known as bunga bangkai or “corpse flower” in Indonesian. Its scientific name is Amorphophallus titanum, derived from ancient Greek and meaning “giant deformed penis”.

It has the largest flower structure in the world, as it can reach 3 m (10 ft) in height and weigh 150 kg. The plant has hundreds of flowers at the base of its spadix.

It is endangered due to deforestation and soil degradation.

Putricia is one of the titan arums at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, last blooming 15 years ago.

But in recent years other corporeal flowers have sprung up across Australia, including botanic gardens in Melbourne and Adelaide, each time attracting thousands of curious visitors eager to catch a whiff.

There are also some located in London’s Kew Gardens, where one bloomed last June. Titan aruma first flowered outside Sumatra in 1889 at Kew.