Titan arum

• Scientific name: Amorphophallus titanum
• Family: Araceae (aroid, duckweed)

Perennial herb with largest collection of flowers (inflorescence) in the world. Solitary inflorescence with leaf-like structure (spathe) surrounding a fleshy spike (spadix). Spathe approx. 3m in circumference, pale green and spotted white on outside, rich dark crimson colour on inside. Spadix up to 2m tall, dull yellow colour, hollow and expanded at base. Solitary leaf produced after flower, can exceed 4m wide. Leaf stalk (petiole) pale green spotted with white. Pollinated by beetles and flies.

Did you know?

The titan arum is listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as its rainforest habitat in Western Sumatra, Indonesia, is under threat from deforestation.

• It's the largest flowering structure (inflorescence) on Earth, growing up to three metres tall.
• When it blooms the flower produces its own heat to help spread the smell and attract pollinators.
• This plant rarely blooms in cultivation (only producing a flower after 7-9 years) but Tim Grigg, a horticulturist at Eden’s nursery, has had a remarkable success rate having produced many for display in the Rainforest Biome. He has to hand-pollinate the individual flowers. They can take up to seven years to bloom.
• Find out how pollen from our titan arums has been used to hand pollinate a flower in Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
• The swollen underground storage stem (tuber) can weigh more than 75kg.
• Research is being carried out to see if a protein from the titan arum could be used to create a treatment for African sleeping sickness, which kills thousands of people each year in sub-Saharan Africa.
• This arum is related to the cuckoo pint (lords and ladies) found in British hedgerows.

Rainforest in western Sumatra, Indonesia, on steep hillsides that are 120–365m above sea level.

Wildlife facts

When the inflorescence is fully open, it produces an overpowering stench of rotting flesh to attract insect pollinators such as carrion-eating beetles and flesh flies.

Watch this spoof ad we created in 2016 as a PR stunt to attract attention to this amazing plant. 

• Kew Gardens
• BBC Nature
• Cool Hunting video