Introduction to the Giant Taro
The Giant Taro, also known as the “Corpse Flower”, “Corpse Stink Amorphophallus”, or “Titan Arum”, is a plant of the Araceae and Amorphophallus genus. When it blooms, it emits a smell similar to that of a rotting corpse, hence it is often referred to as “the stinkiest flower in the world”.
The tuber of the Giant Taro can reach a diameter of 65 centimeters and weigh over 100 kilograms. Its petiole is usually 3–4 meters high, and the diameter of the leaf blade exceeds 5 meters, covering an area of more than 20 square meters. Wild Giant Taro only grows in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. It only blooms two or three times in its lifetime, and the blooming period is very short, at most a few days. After the fruit grows, it will quickly wither.
In 1878, the Italian botanist Beccari first discovered this plant. He sent some seeds to the Royal Botanic Gardens in the UK, and after cultivation, the Giant Taro bloomed for the first time in 1889. This was the first record of the Giant Taro blooming in cultivation, and since then there have been about 60 more blooming records.
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