What’s that Strange Smell? A New Corpse Flower is About to Bloom at the Conservatory of Flowers

Suma the Titan is a corpse flower on the verge of blooming this week at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. A corpse flower is a very rare kind of plant that releases an incredibly stinky odor when it blooms, and you can view (and smell) it for yourself!

Viewing a corpse flower bloom is an incredibly rare opportunity that not many people will ever get a chance to see in person, and if you missed the one at UC Berkeley’s Botanical Garden last year, here’s another chance. The smell is compared to rotten flesh and bad cheese, and it’s expected to overtake the whole conservatory for a few days. Last year, the Conservatory was fortunate enough to get a hold of another corpse flower named Terra the Titan, which has now been replaced by Suma. These flowers actually only bloom once every 7-10 years, so go see it while you have a chance!

Suma is expected to bloom by the end of this week, and if you consider yourself a botany enthusiast, you can follow along on the Conservatory’s live stream they have set up to track the progress of the bloom. If you’re not interested in staring at a plant for 24 hours a day but still want to check in every once in awhile to get in on the action, check out their Instagram, where they post occasional updates on Suma. If you want to stop in and see the phenomenon in person, the Conservatory of Flowers has extended it’s visiting hours to cater to this amazing event. Come by anytime between 10am and 10pm, except on Mondays when they open at noon. Admission is $9 for adults and $3 for children, but it is well worth it for the huge collection of rare plants that they hold. The Conservatory is located right in Golden Gate State Park.

Conservatory of Flowers
100 John F Kennedy Dr
Monday 12:00pm to 10:00pm, or Tuesday through Sunday 10:00am to 10:00pm
Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for seniors and college students, and $3 for kids 5-11, younger are free