On 5th August, around 1:00 a.m., the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) began blooming in the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden. This is the second time in last few years – this time the plant is older and has a significantly larger inflorescence than before.

Just before blooming, the arum lily was over 180 cm tall. On 5th August, around 1:00 a.m., a leaf on the flower in the university greenhouses opened impressively. From that point on, the plant took about eight hours to fully bloom.

By 6:00 a.m., the leaf span had a 122 cm spread, and the titan arum was over 180 cm height. The plant’s temperature had risen significantly – to 68 degrees Celsius. The plant surprised us greatly – the flowering process is very dynamic, and the arum lily looks spectacular,” says Piotr Dobrzyński, who takes care of the plant at the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden.

During flowering, the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) experiences a phenomenon called inflorescence heating – this unusual mechanism plays a key role in the plant’s pollination. During flowering, the arum lily actively raises the temperature of its inflorescence for about dozen degrees Celsius above the ambient temperature.

That heat helps dissipate the intense, unpleasant odor, reminiscent of rotting meat. This allows it to attract pollinators such as carrion flies and beetles more quickly and effectively. Pollinators are attracted not only by the scent but also by the warmth, which can mimic the body of a dead animal – their natural feeding and egg-laying habitat.

The titan arum can be observed live in the greenhouse of the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden. Due to this event, the Botanical Garden is extending its opening hours. During the following days the Garden gate will be open until 10:00 p.m. (with the possibility of extension).