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Rare 'Corpse Flower' Blooming In St. Paul

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Apr 10, 2008 6:20 am US/Central

Rare 'Corpse Flower' Blooming In St. Paul

ST. PAUL (AP) ― The "corpse flower" is blooming in St. Paul -- and you can get a whiff now. But you'd better hurry.

The rare flower, called a titan arum, is emitting its pungent odor at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park Zoo. Many liken the smell to that of rotting flesh.

The bloom happens once every 15 years and is expected to last for only a day or two.

It's one of only about 125 recorded blooms worldwide since the flower was discovered in the Indonesian rain forest in the 1870s.

The bloom's stench helps attract pollinating insects that normally feed on carrion.

The corpse flower has been cultivated in a greenhouse at the conservatory since 2005. It's now been moved to a public area where it can be seen and smelled.



(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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