Can You Grow a Corpse Flower in Your Home Garden? Sure, If You Can Handle the Smell

If you were in the vicinity of the Washington, D.C., Botanical Gardens on July 21 and thought you caught a whiff of a dead body, raw meat, or some other foul odor, you were actually in the presence of a magnificent gardening phenomenon: It was most likely the rare blooming corpse flower on display that garnered attention on social media from across the country.

Corpse plants, which loosely resemble an enormous bok choy with a yellow pepper growing out of the center, can grow up to 8 feet tall and attract pollinators. Fortunately, for those who grow them, they only open up and show off their giant petals and their potent smell for two to three days every two or three years. Despite their unappealing aroma, these flowers draw thousands of curious visitors whenever they bloom.

The D.C. Botanical Gardens wasn’t the only spot these enormous stinkers bloomed recently: At Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum, another made itself known on June 22, to the delight of scientists working there, who affectionately refer to their corpse plant as “Dame Judi Stench.”

This was the first time the corpse plant, officially known as Amorphophallus titanum or titan arums, bloomed at Harvard, says William (Ned) Friedman, director of the Arnold Arboretum and Arnold professor of organismic and evolutionary biology at Harvard University.

“The titan arums we grow are part of a global conservation effort for a threatened species—but they are also truly magnificent organisms that manage one of the most audacious and spectacular feats of the botanical world.” 

If you’d like to grow a corpse flower of your own despite the pungent odor— (we recommend not scheduling any parties during the time of blooming), you’ll have to keep it indoors since these plants need temperatures between 75° F and 90° F with 70 to 90% humidity.

It also requires plenty of space since it grows to be so tall. Expect to wait seven to ten years for it to reach its full size. Never let it dry out, and make sure it gets plenty of dappled sunlight. However, don’t grow it in a spot that gets a lot of direct sun.

A small garden shed would be an ideal location for growing a corpse flower—especially while it’s in bloom, when you’d probably prefer it to not completely stink up your home.