Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s previous World of Wonder columns for The Butter can be found here.
With a heavy but happy and wonder-ously stinky heart, I’m sharing that my time here on The Butter has come to an end. As I mentioned last time, I’ve had to trim my outside projects to focus on a couple of book projects during my sabbatical. But not before ending this column with my favorite specimen of all time from the plant world, Amorphophallus titanium — the corpse flower.
The corpse flower has the largest inflorescence in the world, with the flower averaging 8 to 10 feet tall. It only grows in the wild in Indonesia, but several botanical gardens here in the U.S. have had much success growing them indoors. In 1937, the New York Botanical Gardens was the first in the country to successfully display one in full bloom. Each bloom only lasts about 24 hours, and indoors they only bloom every eight years or so.
There’s no way I could have planned this kind of “full-circle” moment here in my column, but for my second World of Wonder entry I took us to Chicago’s Botanical Gardens, where much of my interest and fascination with the plant world was first (ahem) cultivated there as a little girl, and now — any day now, really — a corpse flower is slated to bloom in that very spot! You can check out Chicago’s live corpse flower camera HERE.
I’ve been tracking these flowers’ blooms all over the country for over a decade, which (#sidenote #protip) made for an easy way to “weed out” guys I dated. When they would ask, “So what are some of your interests?” I’d tell them about this giant flower with a seriously foul smell, and I could tell in one instant whether or not there’d be a second date or if I’d be ghosting him soon (yes, in my single days, the quickest way to be ghosted by me was to show a complete lack of interest or wonder about the natural world, sorrynotsorry).
I first encountered a corpse flower in person at the University of Wisconsin’s beautiful campus greenhouse back in 2001. I remember being so pleased that the line of people waiting to see this flower was longer than the line to buy Dave Matthews Band tickets on campus. Back then, in the heady days of late June, the greenhouse temperatures were already pushing into the high 80s — but that didn’t deter the hundreds of people who waited over an hour for the opportunity to get a big whiff of what is perhaps the most memorable sensation of this flower: its smell.
This smell is basically what I imagine emanates from the bottom of a used diaper pail left out in the late August sun, after someone empties a tin of sardines and a bottle of blue cheese salad dressing on top. And maybe three to four more dirty diapers. And then you’re asked to put your face near that hot mess and take a deep breath. Yep. That’s pretty darn close to what the corpse flower smells like in person. Delicious, no? That smell and the deep-red meaty color of the bloom is what attracts insects to pollinate the flower before it goes dormant for several years and folds back up into itself.
Morty in full bloom, Buffalo Botanical Gardens, Aug. 2014
The last one I saw bloom in person was around this time last year at my hometown botanical gardens in Buffalo, NY. “Morty’s” appearance drew the biggest crowds in the garden’s 115-year history and I’m so glad it was the first one my sons were able to see and smell in person. Why not start ‘em young, right? And because so many readers have asked, here is a clip from a poetry reading I did last year in front of the governor of CT where I read a poem about the corpse flower and how it was my mother of all people who first told me about it (and I didn’t believe her that it even existed!) some of the folklore associated with it. (Note: people were drinking at this outdoor event, which doesn’t normally happen at my poetry readings — but it should, amirite?)
So there you have it, Dear Readers. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a special shout out to my wondrous and smart-as-heck editor, Nicole Chung, who put up with some crazy last-minute searches of all of these spectacularly weird animals and plants to ensure we didn’t pilfer someone’s photography. And to the mighty Roxane Gay, who said yes in the first place — I’m so very grateful to have her in my corner, and for all she does to champion writers of all stripes.
To YOU all — may you always make time to look for a bit of wonder in your life. And please don’t be a stranger: If you fall…in wonder — with a particularly fetching/weird (or weirdly fetching) animal or plant, do tell HERE or HERE. Keep sending me those gob-smackingly fun videos and pics of nature magic you come across (especially if it has to do with narwhals)! I’ve already marked some of those narwhal gift suggestions for Santa this year — thanks so much.
Now for one last question, O Wonderous Ones: When was the last time you saw an animal or plant IN PERSON that made you cry/made your heart hurt/filled you with wonder at how beautiful/arresting it was? Let me know in the comments below (with a pic or video if you have it!). Let us all have many moments to choose from, and if you don’t — start now! What would it mean for us, Dear Readers, if we promise and pledge to be open to noticing — really noticing — more astonishments in our daily lives?
See you around this wonder-full blue planet!
Tags: aimee nezhukumatathil, the butter, world of wonder
If the Chicago Tribune website link won’t work for folks, try http://www.chicagobotanic.org/titan_arum_corpse_f…
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little sad that this is the last World of Wonder piece – I so looked forward to these! – but what a wondrous note to end on! I’ve always wanted to see a corpse flower in person, but it hasn’t panned out for me just yet. Someday!
A few weekends ago I paid a surprise visit to the teeny tiny Jenkinsons Aquarium and was absolutely enamored with the seals, especially Luseal. Look at her!
LUSEAL
LOOK OUT FOR THAT LOOSE SEAL
She’s beautiful! I have little hearts in my eyes.
She looks like a fairy in disguise. Treat her kindly or you might end up cursed.
Awww! Thanks SO very much! Luseal looks pretty much magical.
Macaws have always been a personal favorite of mine, and when I saw one last weekend again for the first time in many months… well… it’s always good to stop and appreciate the beauty for a little while!
I love that you just happened to see a macaw! Where do you live?!
I was actually at a bed and breakfast in Vermont and the owners had one! Her name was Maya and they let her hang out on the porch during the day and schmooze with the guests.
Best B&B evah!!
I saw an avocet a few weeks ago, while walking with my mom in the Meadowlands. My circa 1995 bird book tells me their territory is almost entirely on the west coast, but there is a tiny population in New Jersey that may one day increase. Either it has, or we were extraordinarily lucky. I know I’ve never seen one before, as they’re the most adorably ridiculous birds. White, with pointy, black-edged wings, a head that’s a warm brown like it’s been toasted like a marshmallow and a infinitely long loopy beak. Rare and beautiful and adorable, and found on a path that I’ve walked at least a hundred times.
yessss–it’s that loopy beak that slays me! 🙂
Look, people who don’t find the natural world awe-inspiring aren’t people I want to be around.
Of course, now that I’ve said that I can’t really think of any plant or animal sighting I’ve had that had a life-changing effect on me. The egg yolk jellyfish I saw at the New England Aquarium a few months ago was pretty cool, though (as was the picture I got of it!):
Great photo!
“Look, people who don’t find the natural world awe-inspiring aren’t people I want to be around.”
A to the MEN! (love that egg yolk!)
Every time I pay a visit to the aquarium here my heart feels fit to burst while I watch the belugas. I just want to hug them and try to tell them how much joy they bring!
The name Amorphophallus titanium brings me great joy. I’m no linguist, but an amorphous titanium phallus would be a sight to behold.
For me it’s whales. We went on a very small private whale watch, and the whale was practically within touching distance, and it was just so Big and Foreign but also Intelligent and Not Aggressive. I wish we could communicate better with them so I could tell the whale how much I respected it.
Ah, yes, a fine specimen of the lumpy titanium dick flower.
Seen in the San Francisco botanical garden last May. Who cares about drought when there are alien peonies to grow?
ETA: I’m gonna draw the shit out of this soon. I am obsessed with pretty but vaguely threatening flowers.
that’s amazing and I’m getting Tattoo Inspiration feelings from it..
Isn’t that the plant that attacked Mister Spock that one time…?
soooo pretty it hurts!
The first time I went to visit my little bro in Southern California, we went to the beach in Malibu and sat there watching and listening to the ocean. A pair of pelicans cruised by, low over the water, and they did this bad-ass swoop, up and over the top of a wave, and I don’t know why but it filled my heart right up.
Monkeys and apes always are amazing to me. You can see so many similarities between us and them – in their faces and hands, in the way they move and hold themselves. They really remind me that we humans aren’t really that removed from other animals.
I met a male (green) eclectus parrot on a family trip to Hawaii when I was a little girl, and I still can’t believe that such intense colors exist in the world.
The eclectus parrot is also the only bird species I know of where the male and female are equally bright and gaudy, but in completely different colors, and I think that is so cool.
oh wow–I never knew that the female had this kind of color too–and I adore that you never forgot them since you were a little girl–thanks for sharing!
Thank you for writing this column! I feel like as we become adults, the world stops deeming us worthy of quality discourse on animals, a la Zoobooks, Kratt’s Kreatures, and watching David Attenborough shows in science class. This was the best kind of throwback to that. (And good luck on your endeavors going forward!)
I am often arrested in real life by fungi (so technically neither plants nor animals & not answering your question faithfully). I started noticing them when I lived in Providence, where the humidity creates really spectacular fungal growth. I’d snap photos to look up and identify species later, and it kind of became a compulsion. Anyways, here’s a Chicken of the Woods I saw at work just last week. I think it’s gorgeous and creepy.
I am often arrested in real life by fungi
Either you live in Night Vale or you have been dropping your spores in an illegal manner. (Sorrynotsorry)
thank you so very much. Chicken in the woods is by FAR my fave fungi too. But this pic is incredible!!
A hummingbird finally started visiting the feeder that we hung up rather late in the year. After many image searches, I’m fairly sure it’s a female Calliope, and both myself, Mr. Thuja, and the two cats like to stare at it with great fascination when it visits (although with rather varying thoughts I’m sure).
Oh, I saw a corpse flower at kew I think, I had no idea they only bloomed so rarely. is this one?
shoot, you know what? Close relative, but i think it’s a “devil’s tongue.” (creepy names I know!)
The rosy maple moth. A creature as cute as its name! It hung out at my campsite at a psytrance festival for a whole day, crawling on people and being ADORABLE. I’m still in love.
aaahh! I had to look this one up–soooo cute! Those colors!!
CORPSE FLOWER!! I’m so tickled to hear a real-life tale from a person who’s met ol’ Corpsey in person.
Our community garden doesn’t have one that’s quite as wild, but we DO get arum lilies – they’re distantly related, they only bloom for a few days every year, and they are a carrion flower; they are fragrant like raw chicken that’s been left on the counter overnight.
I’m sad that this is the last World of Wonder column, but will look forward hearing more about your other adventures in Bookland!!
The corpse flower is one of the funniest objects, to me, in the Sims 2, and there are a great many hilarious things in The Sims 2. I have never seen one in real life and someday hope to. I had heard of them before the game, but I hadn’t seen one and now I really want to experience it in real life. It’s funny how the little weird things we happen upon make us want to experience more.
Good luck to you with your book and may many great and wondrous experiences be in your future!
too funny–I didnt know corpse flowers were in a video game, lol! ps. Thanks!
Thanks for these columns, Aimee, they’ve been a delight and utterly fascinating!
awww, that means so much, R! Salamat po! (that’s thanks in Tagalog) 😉
Last weekend I visited the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, and saw sea turtles in person for either the very first time or the first time since I was very small, and spent about 15 minutes refusing to budge from the sea turtle tank while insistently telling my husband “THEY’RE VERY BIG. HAVE YOU SEEN HOW BIG THEY ARE? VERY VERY BIG.” I had no idea they were so big! What do they need to be so big for! It is unsettling and I’m not a hundred percent sure I approve.
The Corpse Flower at Binghamton University is blooming! Right NOW!
Just in time for move in weekend! Go kids, bring your parents. It will be unforgettable. http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/corpse…
oh dang! i didn’t know this–just about 3 1/2 hrs from where I live! thx!!
In my past life, I swear I was an amateur Victorian naturalist; my house is chock full of plants and I could watch bees buzzing and spiders spinning in the garden forever and ever. That said, one of the most beautiful things I saw, nature-wise, was the sudden appearance of a wild seal cruising along the shoreline where I was hiking last week (Barnet Marine Park, Port Moody, BC). I stood on that rocky outcrop for an eternity, hoping for another glimpse, but it was not to be!
I LOVE NATURE!
Love it: “In my past life, I swear I was an amateur Victorian naturalist” <–I want that as a bumper sticker!
Cool, I'm doing this for a science project!