- The inflorescence, or flower structure, of the titan arum flower reaches an average of about 5 feet. The largest titan arum flower structure to be cultivated and monitored is recorded at 9 feet and 2 inches tall. Without cultivation, wild titan arum inflorescences can grow as tall as 12 feet. The height of the plant depends on the energy that is gathered in the corm (the underground stem) of the plant and the speed at which it grows is a result of the temperatures of the plant's habitat during the day and night.
- The titan arum is known for its peculiar aroma. When the plant is not in bloom, it is scentless. However, when the flower is in bloom, a peculiar phenomenon occurs. The titan arum emits not a pleasant odor, but a foul scent reminiscent of the rotting of flesh. Nicknamed the "corpse plant" the titan arum's odd smell lasts only during blooming and vanishes when the blooming ceases.
- The titan arum has only one natural habitat. It is found only in the rain forests of the tropical island of Sumatra. Sumatra is located among the string of Indonesian islands. Although the titan arum is known to grow only on Sumatra, some flowers have been relocated to exhibits around the world, including the Smithsonian's Department of Botany.
- The first recorded blooming of titan arum in the United States was in 1937 in New York's Botanical Gardens. The latest blooming occurred in the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in June of 2007. The process began on June 30 when the titan arum's spadix (a tall spike with a cluster of flowers) grew from 57 inches to 69 inches. The spathe opened and the corpselike smell was emitted, then, in less than 24 hours, on July 1, the spathe shut and the blooming was over. The titan arum only blooms periodically, once every five to seven years, and then only for a few hours.
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