It's rare, it reeks of rotting flesh and it's about to bloom. Behold the corpse flower at CSU

If you want to see, and smell, something unusual this Memorial Day weekend, then consider this: Colorado State University's corpse flower, named Cosmo, is expected to bloom for the very first time in its eight-year life.

Here's where it gets a little weird: When it does, it will emit a putrid odor that some liken to the smell of decaying flesh.

But here's yet another reason it's special: The bloom, which can be several feet tall, lasts two or three days. Once it's done, it won't bloom again for another three to five years.

This spectacle might not be for everyone, but those who don't want to miss it will have a chance to attend one of the daily public viewings on campus.

You can also watch in on a livestream provided by CSU.

“Cosmo came out of dormancy around three weeks ago, and we didn’t expect anything exciting,” said Tammy Brenner, Colorado State University Plant Growth facilities manager, in a story posted by CSU. “But then two weeks ago, it started looking a little bit more full, a little bit more plump. It started growing and shooting out stalks, and we realized something really big was about to happen.”

Last weekend, Cosmo grew more than 5 inches, and Brenner estimates it will bloom sometime around Memorial Day weekend.

If you have your heart set on seeing Cosmo, just know that there's a "slim" chance it won't happen at all.

“At the end of the day, plants are still unpredictable, but with the data we have, we’re eagerly awaiting the bloom,” Brenner said.

Cosmo came to Fort Collins when Brenner brought it home from a plant swap at a conference more than seven years ago. It's located in the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Conservatory, and it's never bloomed in its lifetime.

The corpse flower, or Amorphophallus titanum, is the largest unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom. The plants can grow to 8 feet tall, CSU says, and their smell while in bloom lures pollinators like carrion beetles and flies.

It's native to Sumatra, Indonesia, and there are fewer than 1,000 individual specimens in the wild, according to information provided by CSU.

How to view the corpse flower

When: The bloom of Cosmo the corpse flower is expected to happen sometime over Memorial Day weekend. Details will become available once it becomes clear when the bloom will happen. Public viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day the flower is in bloom. (Note: There's a slim chance it won't happen at all.)

Where: The Plant Growth Facility Conservatory, 1241 Libbie Coy Way on the CSU campus. Park in the South College Avenue Garage, 121 W. Pitkin St., or take the MAX bus line to University Station. Walk west on Pitkin and follow the signs for the corpse flower viewing line. Admission is through the west doors only, and visitors should be prepared to wait in line, CSU says.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins corpse flower is ready to bloom. CSU has live stream