<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>336880</docID> <postdate>2025-01-23 16:43:20</postdate> <headline>Corpse flower ‘Putricia’ begins long-awaited bloom</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-336882" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20250123183995414003-original-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="1125" height="750" /></p> <caption>A corpse flower - nicknamed "Putricia" - began unfurling at Sydney's botanic gardens. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Neve Brissenden</b> in Sydney</span></p> <p><strong>A giant foul-smelling flower that has become an unlikely internet darling has finally begun to bloom - and its rotting flesh-like odour has not been enough to deter its many fans.</strong></p> <p>The corpse flower - nicknamed "Putricia" - began unfurling at Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden for the first time in 15 years on Thursday afternoon.</p> <p>The rare titan arum, a type of carrion flower, has the world's largest and stinkiest flower spike and blooms for only 24 hours.</p> <p>Over the past week, more than 5000 people have lined up to see the flower, while more than 500,000 have tuned in to the live-stream online.</p> <p>Botanists from the gardens have occasionally popped into the stream to measure the height and temperature of the flower, which is 1.63m high and 27C as of Thursday afternoon.</p> <p>Many online viewers calling themselves "Putricia stans" have been tuning in from around the world.</p> <p>"I love you Putricia, my queen,"  one viewer wrote under the stream.</p> <p>"I would sacrifice my family for Putricia," another said.</p> <p>The flower also has its own Spotify playlist, which includes tracks such as Seal's Kiss from a Rose, and a Facebook fan page.</p> <p>The flower was expected to reach peak stink on Thursday afternoon and  remain open for several days.</p> <p>The foul odour of carrion flowers, often referred to as imitating the smells of rotting flesh, garbage or vomit, is designed to attract bugs and pollinators.</p> <p>Putricia is one of several titan arums in the botanic gardens, while other corpse flowers have bloomed in other Australian cities in recent years.</p> <p>Thousands turned out to Adelaide Botanic Garden in 2023 to watch the 1.5m-tall specimen unfurl its leaves.</p> <p>A similar event took place in Geelong in November, followed by a burgeoning corpse flower in Melbourne in early January.</p> </body>