In front of a purple curtain and surrounded by mist from a humidifier, Putricia has been adorning a stately and gothic exhibit at the Royal Sydney Botanic Garden for a week.
At a Sydney greenhouse on Thursday, hundreds of devoted fans waited in line to witness a historic bloom—and a scent reminiscent of rotting trash and gym socks—as a result of the unusual unfurling of an endangered plant that smells of decaying flesh.
Amorphophallus titanum, also known as bunga bangkai in Indonesia, is the scientific name for the tall, pointed, and foul-smelling corpse flower that grows in the Sumatran rainforest.
Her admirers, who naturally identify as Putricians, enthusiastically embrace her as Putricia, a combination of “putrid” and “Patricia.”
Since then, her popularity has grown quickly, with over 13,000 admirers lining up to have a moment in her increasingly odorous presence. For fifteen years, the garden has not produced a corpse flower.
A flower that blooms slowly
In the wild, the shrub only blooms every seven to ten years.
Putricia’s quirky and funereal show was planned by garden spokesperson Sophie Daniel, who said, “It’s clear that they are somewhat at a disadvantage in the wild because they open very rarely, so they flower rarely.”
“They are unable to self-pollinate, so when they open, they must hope that another flower is open nearby.”
Only 300 of the plants are believed to exist in the wild, and less than 1,000 are thought to exist globally, including those that are cultivated. Putricia, which came to the garden seven years ago, is one of them.
She was just 25 centimetres (10 inches) tall when her blossom was seen in December.
She was 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches) tall by Thursday, and her flower spike was gradually unfolding around a magnificent central tuber like a pleated skirt, the yellow-green edges curving to reveal a burgundy center.
Putriciamania intensifies
The Victorian greenhouse had the atmosphere of a rock festival as garden workers set up crowd barriers as Sydney became more and more excited about the time of her bloom.
In a scene influenced by the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Queen Victoria’s burial, and the work of the late director David Lynch, fans walked the red carpet to watch Putricia from behind velvet ropes.
As Putricia’s stench evolved, people leaned in for a smell and took selfies inside, which became a riskier idea. As if in worship, one young woman lifted her hands and bowed.
The stately plant served as the backdrop for a viral dance done by garden staff on social media to the summer hit song “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan.
Perhaps the “reverence” spectators felt in the presence of “such an amazing living being” was the reason behind the regal, enigmatic, and foul-smelling flower’s popularity, Daniel added.
A quick ascent to popularity on the internet
In addition to her in-person fans, Putricia’s online following has grown quickly, internationally, and in a very odd way, albeit one that is far less foul-smelling.
Within a week of the botanic garden’s 24/7 live stream garnering nearly a million viewers, a common vocabulary of memes and inside jokes emerged.
Abbreviations such WWTF (we watch the flower), WDNRP (we do not rush Putricia), and BBTB (blessed be the bloom) were commonly used. One poster stated, without further explanation, that “Putricia is a metaphor for my life.”
As soon as the plant opened, social media commenters planned to rush to the garden. Putricia’s bloom—and her stench—would disappear in a day.
Daniel claimed that Putricia would heat up to 37 degrees Celsius (100 F) when she unfolded in order to further disperse her aroma, drawing carrion beetles and flies to crawl inside and lay their eggs.
The plant will then be hand-pollinated in an attempt to guarantee the longevity and diversity of the species.
For a week, however, thousands of Putricians will try to get as close to their hero as possible.
Daniel stated that the garden workers finally opted against having vomit bags in the room, despite some early discussions regarding the matter. “I don’t know of anyone getting hurt in real life.”
