Rare Corpse Flower Greets the Public with Putrid Bloom in New York

New Yorkers lined up for hours outside the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to catch a glimpse -- and a whiff -- of the facility's rare blooming corpse flower.

The Amorphophallus gigas plant, better known as a corpse flower, was obtained as a seedling from a nursery in Malaysia seven years ago and started its first bloom Thursday night.

The plant, famous for the foul odor it emits while blooming, is one of only four Amorphophallus gigas plants known to be kept in the United States. They are smaller, but more rare, than their cousins, Amorphophallus titanum, which are also commonly referred to as corpse flowers due to their similar stench.

"Amorphophallus gigas is a close relative of the more common in cultivation Amorphophallus titanum, the corpse flower that often makes the news," BBG gardener Chris Sprindis said on social media as the plant began its bloom. "I think this is an equally impressive species, though less known in cultivation. Like the titanum, it will smell like rotting flesh."

Crowds lined up Friday and Saturday to experience the sights and smells of the plant, dubbed "Smelliot" by the garden's social media followers.

"It's the worst thing I've ever smelled," Flatbush resident Saul Pulido told WCBS-TV.

Sprindis said he noted a change in the smell from Friday to Saturday.

"Yesterday at least was dead rat with a little garlic, a little burnt plastic. Today's been a little fainter, but it's still coming in waves, and I'm getting more of a stinky cheese, foot smell," Sprindis said.