Meet Horace: Como Park's Rare Corpse Flower Ready To Bloom

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- Visitors to a popular Minnesota attraction may soon be able to witness a rare event. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory's corpse flower, Horace, is getting ready to bloom.

This will be Horace's second time blooming.

After spending two years behind the scenes, the corpse flower has been brought out to the Ordway Gardens of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory so guests can see the final stages of development as it blooms. Horace currently stands 52 inches tall, which is just one inch shorter than when the plant flowered for the first time in 2024.

Como Park horticulturists say the flower is developing faster than they anticipated, and the protective outer covering has fallen away from the flower, revealing color along the edges of the spathe.

Use this link to for updates on Horace's blooming: Horace the corpse flower.

The zoo expects the flower to open in the next two to seven days. Corpse Flowers are native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, and are famous for producing one of the largest flowering structures in the plant world. They are also equally famous for the odor released during the bloom, which is often compared to rotting meat.

The plants often take several years between blooms, and the bloom only lasts for one to two days after opening.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

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Filed Under: Como Park Zoo and Conservatory