Corpse Flower's rare bloom to bring rotting flesh aroma to Como Park

The Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul is gearing up for a rush of visitors this month hoping to catch a whiff of rotting flesh.

The Corpse Flower, named Horace, is soon to show off its rare and pungent bloom, marking the first bloom since the plant's arrival at Como in 2019.

Visitors can experience the bloom up-close at in Como’s Exhibit Gallery, which is open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

A livestream is also capturing the event, with Como beckoning those intrigued by the Corpse Flower to "watch as Horace unfurls its massive, unbranched inflorescence and emits its distinctive scent of rotting flesh."

Hailing from the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, the Corpse Flower is today endangered with fewer than 1,000 remaining in the wild.

"This endangered plant’s lifecycle is as fascinating as it is peculiar, with a lengthy period of dormancy followed by the emergence of a large leaf that can reach towering heights of up to 15 feet," Como shares. "When the time is right, the plant produces its infamous flower, attracting carrion fly pollinators with its heat and aroma."