Waiting for the Corpse Flower: Words That Tell When

The Biggest, Smelliest Flower

1In early May, the botanical garden near Lior's school shared big news. Its corpse flower was getting ready to bloom! This giant plant comes from the rainforests of Sumatra, an island in Indonesia. It can take many years to bloom, and each bloom lasts only a day or two.

2At first, the bud looked like a tall green bullet. Every morning before school, Lior watched it on the garden's webcam with his dad. Each day, the bud grew a few more inches. By the end of the second week, it was taller than Lior's dad!

3Then, on Thursday afternoon, the frilly outer part of the flower began to unfold. The next morning, Lior's class rode a bus to the garden. As soon as they walked into the greenhouse, they smelled it. "It smells like rotten meat!" said Lior's friend Maile, holding her nose. A guide explained that the smell draws flies and beetles, and these insects help the plant make seeds.

4Inside, the flower was a deep red, like a ripe plum. Meanwhile, a long line of visitors waited outside the doors to see it. Later that day, Lior drew a picture of the flower in his notebook.

5Two days later, the flower had already begun to fold up and droop. Lior felt a little sad, but he knew he had seen something special. "Someday, I will see one bloom again," he said.