Let a thousand stinky blossoms bloom: how Australia became the world's corpse flower destination

"Australia has one of the highest flowering events in the world, said Matt Coulter, senior horticulture curator at the Botanic Gardens of South Australia. The country was among the top three places for the number of corpse flowers blooming, he said, with plants coming to an age where they were likely to flower more often. Adelaide, known for its hot, dry summers, has become an unlikely capital for propagating these endangered plants from the equatorial rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia."

"Coulter has propagated many more from both leaf cuttings and pollination. The state's corpse flower collection now holds in excess of 250 plants across different generations the largest in Australia, and possibly the world. Smellanie turned out to be a perfect flower, he said, with a deep crimson outer layer and powerful stench. At 2.13m tall it was the largest the garden had shown to the public its aroma reminiscent of fermenting cabbage, strong blue cheese or old sweaty socks."

Corpse flowers are becoming increasingly common across Australia, with more than a dozen blooms recorded in 2025 including Putricia, Morpheus, Big Betty, Spud and co. Garden-grown plants often flower more frequently after their initial bloom, raising chances of local sightings. Australia ranks among the top three countries for corpse flower flowering as cultivated plants reach reproductive age. Adelaide has become a propagation hub, with seeds from 2006 leading to a collection exceeding 250 plants across generations, possibly the world's largest. Smellanie reached 2.13m with a deep crimson spathe and an aroma like fermenting cabbage, strong blue cheese or old sweaty socks.

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