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Corpse Flower In Bloom at Eastern; Public Invited to View

Willimantic, CT (06/04/2024) — An unusual double-stemmed "corpse flower" at Eastern Connecticut State University is now blooming in the University's greenhouse in the David G. Carter Science Building.

To accommodate those interested in viewing the bloom, the greenhouse will be open today, Tuesday, June 4 from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. and tomorrow, Wednesday, June 5 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Please enter through the greenhouse doors located outside the back entrance of the David G. Carter Science Building (entrance photo attached).

Monitor the bloom through a live feed on the University's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/qGfMC7c-eiY

Amorphophallus titanium, popularly known as "corpse flower," is native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is the world's largest unbranched inflorescence-a group of flowers arranged on a stem-reaching heights up to 12 feet tall. According to Connolly, the plant wreaks of feces and rotting fish to attract pollinators that normally feed and lay eggs on dead animals.

A corpse flower's first bloom may take up to 10 years and last just three days. Under ideal conditions, subsequent blooms may occur ever second or third year. Corpse flowers are rare in their native jungle environment; therefore the flowers' powerful odor is necessary to facilitate cross pollination between plants that may be miles apart.

Eastern's greenhouse contains two genetic individuals and several clones of corpse flower. Rare as they are, Connolly says the coming double bloom is particularly unusual and may be twice the stench.

Members of the media are welcome to the greenhouse for photos and interviews with Connolly. Contact him at connollyb@easternct.edu

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 160 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 30 states and eight countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 20 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022-23 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 14 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

Media Attachments

An unusual double-stemmed "corpse flower" blooms at Eastern Connecticut State University in the greenhouse of the David G. Carter Science Building.

To view the bloom, enter through the greenhouse doors located outside the back entrance of the David G. Carter Science Building, seen here.

Willi the Warrior monitors dual-stemmed "corpse flower" as it blooms at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Rare, dual-stemmed "corpse flower" blooms at Eastern Connecticut State University in the University's greenhouse, located within the David G. Carter Science Building.

Willi the Warrior monitors dual-stemmed corpse flower as it blooms at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Willi the Warrior looks on as dual-stemmed corpse flower blooms at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Willi the Warrior monitors dual-stemmed corpse flower as it blooms at Eastern Connecticut State University.

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