UPDATE: Cosmo the Corpse Flower has bloomed

Tiffany Wismer
·2 min read
UPDATE: SUNDAY 5/26/2024 11:13 a.m.

(FORT COLLINS, Colo.) — Cosmo, the Corpse Flower at Colorado State University (CSU), has bloomed, said CSU researchers. On Saturday night, the rare flower opened into a deep red, purplish bloom and emitted its distinctive odor, which is most pungent in the first 12 hours after the bloom.

It will be another 3-5 years before Cosmo blooms again. Watch the live stream here!

ORIGINAL STORY: CSU’s corpse flower is about to bloom

SATURDAY 5/25/2024 4:44 p.m.

A rare corpse flower at Colorado State University (CSU) will likely bloom in time for Memorial Day, according to researchers who have been studying the flower.

In recent weeks, the corpse flower has been showing signs that blooming is imminent, and around 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 25 researchers said “noticeable changes” to the flower have occurred over the last few hours. The flower (dubbed ‘Cosmo’) has been in the care of CSU for seven years, and this will be its first bloom.

Courtesy: Getty Images. Corpse Flower partially opened.
Courtesy: Getty Images. Corpse Flower partially opened.

“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. “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.”

Corpse flowers get their distinctive name from the putrid smell (like that of a decaying body) that they emit when blooming. Corpse flowers can grow up to 8 feet tall, and when they bloom the smell of decay lures a specific group of pollinators—carrion beetles and flies.

Cosmo is also accessible via live stream, where you can follow the flower’s progress and witness the rare event. After its initial bloom, Cosmo will not bloom again for another three to five years.

The public is welcome to visit the flower in person from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, at The Plant Growth Facility Conservatory at 1241 Libbie Coy Way, in Fort Collins, CO. If researchers are correct, people will be able to see—and smell—the bloom on Sunday, May 26, and Monday, May 27.

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