In July, the first giant penis plant bloomed in Leiden. Another plant bloomed last October. Before that, nothing had happened for about ten years. Giant penis plants need about ten years to build up enough energy to flower, according to the Hortus.
The penis plant that blooms now will soon be pollinated with the pollen from the plant that bloomed last month. For example, the Hortus botanicus wants to grow new penis plants.
Two days
If you want to see the flowering giant penis plant, you should be quick. The flowering period lasts only two days. On the first day, the calyx gives off a smell of rotting flesh to attract flies. That scent can be smelled hundreds of meters away. Then it blooms for another day without smell.
The scientific name of the plant is Amorphophallus titanum, literally translated gigantic shapeless penis. It is over 2 meters tall, excluding the pot. The giant penis plant originates from the rainforests of West Sumatra. The plant is under threat because its natural habitat is under severe pressure.