June 4, 2005

Titan Arum!

Here's the UW website for tracking the progress on the blooming of our Titan Arum -- corpse flower.
Four of the five bracts (or scales) that enclose and protect the plant's spathe and spadix now have fallen. The largest bract was still in place this morning. When the last one has fallen, it will be a signal to the bud that it is time to move toward its bloom. The maroon color is developing on the inside of the spathe. There is just a hint of it visible today. Much of Titan IV's spadix is purple in color, just as it was in 2001. The bloom is expected within the next 4-8 days.
You can click on the live streaming video of the flower. It's currently 84". Two feet to go to set a world record.

UPDATE: The description above is from yesterday. Today:
As of this morning, the largest and last bract had fallen only partially. The top of the spathe is showing more maroon at the margin, and the upper part of the spadix is turning dark purple. The top one foot of it is a beautiful greenish cream color.

1 comment:

Meade said...

And somewhere in Sumatra natives are marveling at the stunning rare beauty of a specimen exotic Cercis canadensis growing in a controlled environment and just now coming into bloom.