The giant smelly flower at Brooklyn Botanic Garden is about to bloom

Hold your noses: The world's stinkiest flower, which smells like deceased, rotting flesh, is about to bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Even though this might sound like the stuff of nightmares, it's actually great news: The Amorphophallus gigas, also known as the Giant Voodoo Lilly, is a pretty rare flower that can take between a couple years and up to a decade to bloom, meaning that for many of us, this might be the opportunity of a lifetime.

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The Amorphophallus gigas is native to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, and can grow to be up to 11 feet tall. Its bloom lasts just under two days, which means you'll have to act fast once the Botanical Garden announces their resident gigas flower has blossomed.

According to a post on its Instagram, the Botanic Garden is expecting for the bloom to happen at any point in the coming days, so be prepared. 

The last time New Yorkers got the chance to experience a similar phenomenon was in 2023, when the New York Botanical Garden's Amorphophallus titanum, also known as the "corpse flower," bloomed. Note that the Amorphophallus titanum is similar to the Amorphophallus gigas, but they're not the same plant. 

“Amorphophallus gigas is a close relative of the more common in cultivation Amorphophallus titanum, the corpse flower that often makes the news,” says BBG gardener Chris Sprindis. “I think this is an equally impressive species, though less known in cultivation. Like the titanum, it will smell like rotting flesh.” In other words, you won't be disappointed if what you wanted was the stank.

You can find the blooming Amorphophallus gigas at the garden's Aquatic House, which features a variety of tropical and subtropical plants from around the world. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is open Mondays, 10am-4:30pm, and Tuesdays through Sundays, 10am-3:30pm. Get your tickets here.