It's called the Amorphophallus Titanum, better known as the Corpse Flower because of its bad odor.
"A very rare plant. She's endangered in the wild and very
hard to get to bloom in cultivation. This is only the second time to happen in Texas and the 29th in the United States" says Houston Museum of Natural Science Horticulturist Zac Stayton.
The 1 Flower You Probably Shouldn't Give Your Wife
The folks at the museum named the pungent plant Lois. She's on display 24 hours a day at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
The stinky flower stands nearly 6 feet tall and weighs 30 pounds.
Once it blooms the smell is something awful.
"People compare it to a mix of rotting vegetation and rotting flesh" says Stayton.
Flowers like Lois grow in the rain forest. So this may be your only shot at seeing and smelling such a sight.
The bloom is a deep purple and measures about four feet wide.
The funky flower will stay in bloom just two, maybe four days.
Ironically, at the same time Lois is opening "Little Shop of Horrors" is opening right across the street at Miller Outdoor Theatre.
The play also features a strange, flesh eating flower named Audrey II.
You can also take a peek at Lois on the museum's 24-hour web cam and you won't even have to plug your nose.
DAMALI KEITH/ reporter
Related story
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http://cid-4696711205723ecb.office.live.com/self.aspx/POSP3/the%20corpse%20flower.doc?ccsf=1#sn_ccCommentCtrl_anch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWfcKLEYPBE&feature=player_embedded
http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2009/06/corpse-flower-titan-arum.html
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