The Smelly Bloom: Unusual Flower Arrives at IU's Greenhouse

Indiana University's greenhouse has welcomed a unique and pungent flower, the amorphophallus konjac, also known as "devil's tongue." The plant is related to the corpse flower and emits a strong odor reminiscent of rotting meat.

"People start to smell it and say, 'Oh, that's gross,' but I say, 'Not everything is roses,'" said Indiana University greenhouse supervisor John Leichter. The devil's tongue blooms every year, unlike IU's other rare plant, the corpse flower, which won't bloom again until 2027.

"The bugs that pollinate it aren't bees," Leichter explained. "It's beetles, cockroaches, and flies because it smells like dead meat."

Bloomington resident Valerie Merriam visited the greenhouse to compare the experience with IU's previous corpse flower bloom in 2023. She described the devil's tongue as "nice" compared to the stronger scent of the corpse flower.

IU student Ellie Childress, who works in the greenhouse, has already grown accustomed to the smell but admitted it's not her favorite.

"It kind of reminds me of this decontaminator that we have to put dead matter in. Cooking dead plant matter never smells good, it smells like garbage," Childress said.

Leichter believes the beauty of the devil's tongue is stronger than its unpleasant smell.

"I had a lady come in this morning who said, 'This stinks really bad,'" Leichter said. "I said, 'I can't even smell it.' It's just something you get used to."

The scent of the devil's tongue is expected to fade away by next week.