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Mmm… rotting flesh

September 14, 2005 by Andrea Bellamy 2 Comments

Plants that smell like rotting flesh to attract pollinators include the dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris), which has a burgundy leaf-like flower out of which flows a slender, black appendage. The plant is native to the Mediterranean, but this one “showed up one day” in the Bronx, New York, garden of Rosemarie Dieda. The plant was identified by Debbie Gartzke of Weird Dude’s Plant Zoo. The plant “will seed around, so apparently someone else in the neighborhood has one,” said Gartzke.

Read more at National Geographic.

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Filed Under: Perennials

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Comments

  1. Diane Brown says

    May 4, 2007 at 11:27 am

    Andrea

    That sure does look a very terrific plant

    Would love to have it growing in my gardens

  2. Sean O'Hara says

    November 12, 2009 at 3:58 pm

    This is indeed a weird and wonderful plant. I like the leaves alone, but the flower really creates a stir. I grew this for a while – got it from a client whose dog (strangely) kept trying to eat it (which caused him to vomit routinely). Had it growing in our front garden (where everyone could appreciate it!) when it bloomed copiously one day. A wedding was getting underway in the public park next door and the bridal party was assembling near our garden. Every once in a while one or more of these folks would look around and wrinkle their noses!! (the smell was pretty strong!). Wife and kids said I had to get rid of it after that!

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