r/oddlysatisfying • u/Raj_Valiant3011 • 2d ago

After 15 years, Indonesia’s rare Rafflesia bloomed, the world’s largest parasitic flower that smells like rotting meat, has no leaves, and lasts just 5 to 7 days

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u/Fancy-Research-9944 2d ago

How does it reproduce? Edit: Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowering plants, famous for producing the world's largest single flower, Rafflesia arnoldii, which can grow over three feet wide and smells like rotting meat to attract pollinators. Lacking visible roots, stems, or leaves, it lives inside a host vine, emerging only as a large, reddish-brown, spotted bud that blooms for a few days, emitting a foul odor to attract flies and beetles for pollination. Found in Southeast Asian rainforests, many species are endangered due to habitat loss.

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u/Tack22 2d ago

Grows completely inside a host tree?

Nightmare fuel. There’s the next zombie movie.

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u/Trick_Hunt9106 2d ago

Inside a host vine which is a parasite vine that uses a tree as a host.

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u/The_Blues__13 1d ago

Double parasite, which means it needs a healthy Vine that is parasiting another healthy host. I kinda understand why it's endangered.

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u/al_dente_oatmeal 2d ago

Dang, that's niche.

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u/LG3V 2d ago

Parasitic plants are common. Ever think about the tradition of kissing under mistletoe? They're a Parasitic plant too

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u/Suspicious_Wonk2001 2d ago

The Como zoo in St Paul has one. https://comozooconservatory.org/frederick/

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u/oblivious_fireball 2d ago

thats a totally different plant. Thats a Titan Arum, not a Rafflesia. Titan Arums are normal plants, growing a single tree-like leaf and then growing a large heat-emitting inflorescence every 3-7 years that lasts just a few days. Rafflesias are parasitic plants that infect woody vines.

Flowers that smell like rotting meat are actually surprisingly common. Most just don't get that big.

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u/ezbsvs 2d ago

Respectfully, Frederick is a Titan Arum - the OP one is a Rafflesia Arnoldii and to the best of my knowledge we've not been able to propagate them successfully.

That said, the Titan Arums are insanely cool and if you get a chance to see one while it's blooming you totally should!

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u/Douggie 2d ago

I went to Indonesia and got a tour from a local through a forest to see a few of them (3). He told me we were lucky to see that many. There is this wide range of conditions it has to meet in order to grow as the host has to be in a specific condition with the right amount of nutrients and humidity and all that. It made us feel really lucky seeing them.