Rare, foul-smelling 'corpse flower' blooms in New York City

July 29, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. | Updated July 29, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.

by Associated Press

An Amorphophallus titanum begins to bloom Thursday, July 28, 2016, at the New York Botanical Garden in New York. The rare plant releases scent during its brief 2436-hour peak, like the smell of rotting flesh, the reason the plant is popularly known as the corpse flower. It is the first time since 1939 that the NYBG has displayed a blooming corpse flower.
An Amorphophallus titanum begins to bloom Thursday, July 28, 2016, at the New York Botanical Garden in New York. The rare plant releases scent during its brief 2436-hour peak, like the smell of rotting flesh, the reason the plant is popularly known as the corpse flower. It is the first time since 1939 that the NYBG has displayed a blooming corpse flower.

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Arkansas Democrat Gazette/MELISSA SUE GERRITS 06/17/13- Jaida Smith, 2, hangs upside down on netting on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at War Memorial Park. The cooler summer weather brought several families to the park Tuesday afternoon.

NEW YORK-A foul-smelling plant known as the corpse flower is finally blooming at the New York Botanical Garden in New York City.

The rare blooming began Thursday afternoon after more than 10 years of growth. It's native to Sumatra's equatorial rain forests, and emits an odor like rotting flesh while it's briefly in bloom.

It's one of the largest flowers on earth and can reach 6 feet in height. It emits the stench to attract pollinators.

The bloom at its peak only lasts about 24 to 36 hours-and it could be years before the flower blooms again.

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