{
  "id": 19710334,
  "title": "Giant corpse flower 'Pete' set to bloom in regional Victoria",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/giant-corpse-flower-pete-set-to-bloom-in-regional-victoria",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T21:32:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-13/giant-corpse-flower-about-to-bloom-in-geelong/107378284"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Geelong Botanic Gardens staff anticipate a massive turnout when their corpse flower named Pete begins its brief bloom in the coming days. Native to Indonesia, this plant typically flowers every seven to ten years, a process that lasts only one to two days. After blooming, the flower collapses and retreats underground for up to ten years.\n\nAt 1.5 meters tall, Pete is currently housed behind glass in a climate-controlled greenhouse at the gardens, poised to bloom. If the last flowering in 2024 is any indication, a large crowd could gather to witness and experience the unique smell of the blooming flower. Lucy Griffiths from the gardens describes the aroma as resembling a dead possum, rotting cheese, or fermenting cabbage.\n\nPete's energy comes from a massive underground corm, a thick, swollen stem that stores nutrients. In 2024, the corm weighed just under 10 kilograms, which increased to 17.7 kilograms by May, suggesting it is nearing the end of its growth cycle and ready to bloom.\n\nThough Pete is the main attraction, two other plants in the greenhouse are also noteworthy. One is in leaf and the other is dormant after flowering two years ago. The other two plants were donated to the gardens in 2021 by staff from South Australia's Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium. Senior horticulture curator Matt Coulter from the Herbarium, a world expert on the Amorphophallus titanum, confirms that the plant takes years to accumulate enough energy for a spectacular bloom, making each flowering event truly unique.",
  "summary": "Geelong Botanic Garden staff expect large crowds when a corpse plant blooms, likely this week.",
  "key_points": [
    "Geelong Botanic Gardens to host blooming corpse flower named Pete",
    "Pete, native to Indonesia, blooms every 7-10 years, lasts 1-2 days",
    "Pete's corm weighed 10kg in 2024, 17.7kg in May, ready to bloom"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}