Emily Chan
A rare corpse flower named Cosmo was brought to Colorado State University back in 2016. After spending eight years in the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Conservatory, it finally bloomed on the evening of May 25, 2024.
The event marked the very first time that a corpse flower had bloomed on the college’s campus. A huge crowd from Fort Collins flocked to CSU to catch a glimpse (and a whiff) of the corpse flower.
While in bloom, the corpse flower boasts a putrid odor that is similar to the stench of rotting flesh, hence its name.
It also produces heat, which helps the stench travel farther. The smell subsides a little within the first 12 to 24 hours of its flowering.
Its smell may be repulsive to us humans, but it attracts flies and carrion beetles. The chemicals responsible for the powerful smell are dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide.
Sadly, the bloom only lasts for about two to three days. After that, it won’t bloom again for another three to five years since it doesn’t have an annual blooming cycle.
It’s hard to predict the next time the flower will bloom because it requires very specific conditions for that to occur.
It only blooms when it has accumulated enough energy and in environments with warm days and nights and high humidity.
When the plant isn’t in bloom, it produces a giant stem called a corm and a single, large leaf. The corm can weigh over 300 pounds, while the leaf can be 15 feet tall.
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