Francois le Danque Posted December 21, 2012 hi all my dad says that at the botanic gardens at the moment (in melbourne), there is a rare flower about to open. he says there are "only a hundred in the world, they rarely flower and the flower only lasts two days" i have googled to the best of my ability and can't find out what he is on about. the name might not even be right. the closest thing i could find is a media release from mid last year about some "rotting meat orchid" :s anyone got any dirt on this?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted December 21, 2012 Amorphophallus titanum? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
space cadet swami Posted December 21, 2012 The seed is available from http://www.paraplants.com 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazonian Posted December 21, 2012 We should have based our Melbourne meet around flowering of this plant hey. I assume its in the glass house / atrium area? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted December 21, 2012 I've got about 20 in my greenhosue, so I am sure there are more than 100 around the world. but yeah, quite a special plant. Just don't inhale. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nothinghead Posted December 21, 2012 Was flowering in Sydney botanical gardens some years back... quite a spectacle! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted December 21, 2012 I just was lucky enough to be gifted some little A bulbifer bulbs and they are starting to grow nicely. Amorphophallus are pretty amazing, I really want to get a couple titanum but they get massive and smell like a dead back packer so the wife says no. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alice Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) I think probably he heard only about a hundred recorded blooms in cultivation. The plants themselves, while uncommon, pop up on ebay all the time. Edit: In fact there are both plant (bulb) and seed on ebay.au right now. Edited December 21, 2012 by Alice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whitewind Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) Word on the grapevine is that Amorphophallus titanum is about to flower at Melbourne, within a few days. The tuber of the plant at Melbourne is about 35kg so the reckoning is that the flower is going to be a whopping 2 metres or so, definitely worth going to see. Edited December 21, 2012 by whitewind 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coin Posted December 22, 2012 I hope the heat today will coax it open a little earlier than xmas day Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted December 23, 2012 a pic, i took at kew gardens, a few years ago. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Francois le Danque Posted December 23, 2012 cool beans. you would think the gardens would publicise such a special event but their website offers no clues.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coin Posted December 23, 2012 they are on their Twitter feed & probably facebook page Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted December 24, 2012 cool beans. you would think the gardens would publicise such a special event but their website offers no clues.. that's because those plants are man eaters and, i put them on the deadly 60. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Francois le Danque Posted December 25, 2012 they are on their Twitter feed & probably facebook page well im sorry i am old fashioned for expecting their website to be up to date instead of this new fangled social media gizmos so does anyone know when it is to open?? i dont know how to use aforementioned gizmos Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted December 25, 2012 you don't need to sign up to facebook to see their page: http://www.facebook.com/BotanicGardensMelbourne lots of updates there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coin Posted December 25, 2012 apparently, It opened xmas day but fully open and good to see for the 26th Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
etherealdrifter Posted December 26, 2012 So we trundled off to the Melbourne botanical gardens today, such a wonderful day, a beautiful antidote to all the Christmas hyper activity. the stench was bearable, the queue was an hour long but the weather was terrific. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazonian Posted December 26, 2012 ^ Good on you Eth'. Nice pics too. I am thinking the smell gets worse as the flower opens completely?. I would like to smell it , you know, just for the experience of it all. Still spewi'n this wasn't happening a few weeks ago when we were all there hey?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
etherealdrifter Posted December 26, 2012 Yeah maz, i stuck my head right in and took a good whiff........still wasn't over-powering or anything. The petal agreed, so perhaps it does have a more potent odour when fully bloomed? It's quite a special flower to behold. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coin Posted December 26, 2012 I read the "pay load" only lasts for an 8 hour period... I went along as well but couldn't be bothered waiting in the queue. I peered inside but the door bitch didn't like me hanging around out the front. Had a nice walk around the gardens though. They should've sold Amorphophallus ice cream near the line...it was pretty warm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
