Stinking Beauty Awakes: 2nd Corpse Flower Blooms at San Diego Botanic Garden

After awaiting stinking beauty, the San Diego Botanic Garden announced that its second Amorphophallus titanium is now in full bloom.

Better known as the "Corpse Flower," named for the pungent stench emitted when it blooms, is making its appearance at the San Diego Botanic Garden in North County and the spectacle will only last 48 hours before it begins to fade.

The corpse flower is an endangered plant that grows on Indonesia’s island of Sumatra, with fewer than 1,000 plants remaining in the wild.

At the beginning of the month, its sibling, Jack Smellington, bloomed on Halloween night. These 14-year-old sibling plants last bloomed in October 2018, the botanic garden said.

The botanic garden is livestreaming the rare event for those not able to see the blooming flower in person.

Photos: Catch a Rare Glimpse of the Blooming Corpse Flower in Encinitas

The botanic garden said the corpse flower’s common name comes from the smell of the flowers, a rancid carrion scent that attracts the carcass-eating insects that pollinate it.

Those wanting to take a closer whiff can now visit the flower as the botanic garden is having special hours:

Thursday, Nov. 18 (Day 1): 9 am - Midnight
Friday, Nov. 19 (Day 2): 7 am - 10 pm
Saturday, Nov. 20 (Day 3): 9 am - 7 pm

Tickets for adults are $18. The garden also offers student, child, youth, senior and active military ticket prices. Click here for more information.