NORFOLK, Va. — Hundreds of people flocked to Norfolk Botanical Garden on Sunday for a chance to witness one of the world's rarest plants in bloom.
The Garden's corpse flower, Lady MacDeath, drew sold-out crowds as visitors lined up for what could be the flower's only bloom for years. Some attendees waited as long as two hours to see the plant, which is famous for producing an odor often compared to rotting flesh.
The bloom is expected to last only 24 to 48 hours before the flower begins to wilt.
"It's been great," attendee Haeley Klarman said. "We waited for a really long time, but I think it was worth it. I'm just really excited Norfolk has brought us the opportunity to be able to see something as rare as the corpse flower."
Another visitor, Rochelle Kenney, arrived early after hearing about the expected crowds.
"Got up this morning, they said it was gonna be long lines, so I came early," Kenney said. "I told the Uber driver to just stay in the front at the gate and I would walk the rest of the way, but it's gonna be worth it just to get a picture with the corpse flower."
Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) is among the rarest plants in the world. Fewer than 1,000 are believed to remain in the wild.
The plant is best known for its towering size and its powerful odor, which attracts pollinators such as carrion beetles and flesh flies in its natural habitat.
The bloom is also incredibly uncommon. A corpse flower typically reaches peak bloom for only 24 to 48 hours and may not flower again for another five to 10 years.
Because of the rare event, Norfolk Botanical Garden extended its hours and released timed-entry tickets, which sold out Sunday as visitors continued arriving throughout the day hoping to catch a glimpse—and a whiff—of Lady MacDeath before the bloom comes to an end.
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