Officials at North Carolina State University say their newest titan arum — known as a corpse flower — is now in bloom.
They named the flower Wolfgang to match the institution's Wolfpack mascot. The green and maroon flower towers at 6 feet tall and may grow up to 10 feet.
Diane Mays, a conservatory curator at N.C. State, said the flower gets its name because of how bad it smells. Mays says Wolfgang's stench is reminiscent of roadkill.
“It stinks because it is trying to draw in carrion beetles and carrion flies that normally feed on dead flesh. And so, it's trying to mimic that smell,” Mays said.
The school received the flower from Ohio State University’s Department of Biological Science, says Mays.
“They had successful germination of the seed and had some 3 to 4-year-old corms, which is the underground structure. It's like a bulb. And they wanted to do that to keep the species alive,” Mays said. “And to help with getting knowledge out there about endangerment, and also for genetic diversity.”
The corpse flower is a tropical plant native to Indonesia and is endangered due to deforestation. An older corpse flower bloomed at N.C. State most recently in 2021.
The arboretum is open for extended hours until 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 22, to allow more visitors to meet Wolfgang.