Just after lunch today, the blessed event began as our Amorphophallus titanum ‘Peter Grande’ began to open. Here is an image from 215pm Friday, with our County Register of Deeds, Charles Gilliam, looking on…making sure it was indeed opening.. Peak viewing will be tonight from 5-8pm and tomorrow from 8am until 8pm. Artificial insemination will take place this evening…probably between 7 and 8pm…voyeurs welcome!
Congratulations! Are cigars allowed!?
We’d like to keep the odor to a single smell!
would it be still opened on Sunday morning?
That’s a great question. Our crystal ball is currently down, but it should be starting to collaspse by Sunday, but with the cooler weather, who knows.
We open at 1pm Sunday. The spathe is starting to fade a bit, but there still should be something to see on Sunday.
Update…Peter is holding up well for Sunday viewing.
Is it just a coincidence that the New York Botanical Garden also has one that is opening now, or is it a seasonal thing?
Great question! We’ve prepared a chart below that shows that June is the peak month for flowering, followed by July, May, and then August. There is a steep drop off in flowering during the rest of other months.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
1 8 17 14 48 80 61 47 19 14 5 0
More! More!
To quote Westley from The Princess Bride, “As you wish”
It’s wonderful that this spectacular plant, once so rare in cultivation, now blooms regularly in botanic gardens around the world. But perhaps now a new challenge is required? A flowering Rafflesia would be quite something!