It all feels rather meta. I am writing about watching a livestream where I and thousands of others are glued to our screens as dozens of in-person visitors pass by the camera, their own phones out recording a moment that they too are waiting for, but has not yet happened: the blooming of Putricia.
I’ve watched loads of wildlife live cams. From the peregrine falcons nesting in Melbourne’s CBD to Sydney’s sea eagles, these streams offer a glimpse into the often unseen aspects of wild animals' lives. From mating to feeding and protecting their young, the reality is often brutal but always fascinating.
But this time I’m watching something new and less action-packed.
For the past 24 hours I’ve had the Sydney Royal Botanic Garden’s livestream playing in the background, hoping to catch the moment that Amorphophallus titanum, also known as Titum Arum or the Corpse Flower, blooms.
It’s kind of a big deal. This rare and endangered plant is only found in the rainforests of western Sumatra, and it has the largest and apparently the smelliest inflorescence in the world.
The last time one flowered at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney was 15 years ago. The corpse flower's famous rotting flesh smell is most pungent in the early stages of flowering only and, once it opens, the deep burgundy flower structure only lasts about 24 hours before it starts to collapse. This makes seeing the flower in its prime tricky, to say the least.
She’s been on display from January 17 at the heritage-listed Palm House, with initial estimates expecting the opening of the spathe (or the frilly skirt) to occur on Saturday or Sunday. As of early evening Monday, it’s still closed.
The thing is, it’s actually quite hard to predict when the plant will flower, leading to the long lines of visitors currently wandering past the camera, phones up in anticipation but only capturing the plant as it looks and smells before the big event.
While we know that spending time in nature is good for us, can nature watching on a screen be beneficial particularly when part of this plant’s attraction (especially to pollinators) is its disgusting smell?
As soon as I heard that flowering was imminent, I started to frantically plan an in-person visit, all the while trying to time it to ensure that I saw the flower at its most stunning and at its smelliest. I mean, it’s something that you need to see (and smell) in person, right?
Well, maybe not. There has been something really lovely, even reassuring about watching Putricia quietly and slowly transform. A mister puffs billowing clouds of moist air, replicating her rainforest home, horticulturalists pop by occasionally and curious onlookers stop and wonder at this incredible plant.
It’s really heartening that we live in a society where thousands will take time out of their day to watch this rare spectacle, that we can watch it whether we live near or far.
And let's face it, with an unpredictable flowering schedule and a flower that lasts only about a day, online might be the only way you can ensure seeing Putricia in all her glory. Minus the putrid smell, of course.
Putricia can be visited from 8am until 6pm daily. Once she blooms, Palm House will be open until midnight the following day. More information can be found here.
Watch the livestream here
