The Copse Flower

People are normally attracted to flowers because of their pleasant smell.

However, one flower gets noticed for the very opposite reason.

This plant is named the titan arum, but it is commonly called the "corpse flower."

As you can guess by its name, it gives off a horrible smell.

In fact, it is known as the smelliest plant in the world.

The titan arum is native to Sumatra, an island in Indonesia.

In most years, it looks like a small green plant.

But every 7 to 10 years, the tropical plant blooms and turns into a gigantic flower.

It can grow as tall as 3 meters.

The corpse flower only blooms for two or three days.

During this time, it gives off a foul stench that is similar to that of rotting meat.

This intense smell attracts many insects to pollinate the flower.

Earlier this year, a corpse flower bloomed at a botanical garden in New Zealand.

Visitors lined up to see and smell the plant.

"It really smelled like something died," said one visitor.

"It was both interesting and absolutely disgusting."

 

• tropical |trɑːpɪkl 열대 지방의, 열대의  gigantic  dʒaɪˈɡæntɪk 거대한 (=enormous, huge)  foul faʊl (냄새가) 더러운, 악취 나는  stench stentʃ  악취 (=reek)

• pollinate |pɑːləneɪt  수분(受粉)하다  botanical  bəˈtænɪkl  식물(학)의  botanical garden 식물원