Corpse Flower Reproduction. Among its other idiosyncrasies the corpse. The plant is endemic to the steep hillsides of rainforests in western Sumatra but is cultivated in botanic gardens worldwide.
The corpse flower cannot flower every year unless it has a large enough tuber. Acting as a storage organ for nutrients and water the tuber needs to be at least 7 inches wide or larger to produce. Here is where a bud first begins to develop.
Complicating their reproduction further is the fact that a single plant cannot mate with itself.
Photo at right shows the peak bloom as of June 25 2021. Both male and female flowers grow similarly but the female flowers open. This plant produces one of the largest flowers on record. Complicating their reproduction further is the fact that a single plant cannot mate with itself.