ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Plant enthusiasts at Roseville High School's Gene Domek Greenhouse rejoiced Thursday at the pungent smell of death and decay.
It may not seem like something worthy of celebration to most, but Roseville High is one of the only high schools in the world to successfully bring a corpse flower to bloom, and this was their fifth run.
According to a press release from greenhouse manager C.J. Addington, Roseville High's corpse flower stands at a towering 6 feet 2 inches.
Named "Thing Two," the flower bloomed at about 6 p.m. on June 24, emitting its signature carcass scent. The rare corpse flower only blooms for about 24 hours.
Addington has nurtured corpse flowers in the Gene Domek Greenhouse before, some successfully reaching bloom, and others not, though Addington used that failed flower as a learning opportunity.
The corpse flower is native to Indonesia and likes the hot, humid climate of the jungle. Their name is due, of course, to their horrid smell, which they create to attract insect pollinators much like the also terribly smelling ornamental pear trees many complain about around Sacramento.
To celebrate the corpse flower bloom, the greenhouse at Roseville High School will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday for the public to view -- and smell -- the bloom.
The massive flower will likely close this evening. A live video feed is also available here.
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