Thousands flock to see brief and rare blooming of corpse flowers in California

Thousands of eager visitors gathered at the Huntington library, art museum, and botanical gardens in San Marino to witness the rare bloom of two titan arums, known as corpse flowers, named Odorysseus and Odora. These plants, which emit a pungent odor reminiscent of rotting flesh, only bloom once every seven to ten years, making this event a unique spectacle. The thousands who turned up not only marveled at the rare sight but also experienced the distinctive, often off-putting smell these flowers produce, underscoring their scientific intrigue and the plant's role in botanical studies.