Emits a sharp aroma and weighs 9 kg: which flower is the largest in the world

Giant "corpse flower" amazes scientists: unique parasitic plant reveals its secrets

An amazing creation of nature - Rafflesia Arnoldii - continues to amaze the scientific community with its phenomenal characteristics. This plant giant, popularly known as the "corpse flower," is rightfully considered one of the most unusual representatives of flora on the planet.

The mind-boggling giant flower, which reaches one meter in diameter and weighs about 9 kilograms, is known for its characteristic aroma resembling the smell of decay. This feature plays a key role in the pollination process: insects, attracted by the specific smell, mistake the plant for decomposing organic matter and become involuntary pollinators.

Rafflesia demonstrates a unique survival strategy, being a parasitic plant. Lacking the usual plant organs - leaves, stems, and roots, it exists at the expense of the host plant, feeding through its root system and stems. For most of its life cycle, the plant remains invisible, only occasionally revealing itself through the appearance of brownish buds that outwardly resemble cabbage heads.

Specialists are raising the alarm: the population of this amazing plant is under serious threat. Uncontrolled ecotourism and poaching of specimens threaten the existence of some Rafflesia species. Even specialized botanical institutions face serious obstacles when attempting to cultivate this mysterious plant.

Significant success in growing Rafflesia Arnoldii has been achieved thanks to the persistence of researcher Sophie Mursidawati from the Bogor Botanical Garden in Java, who managed to disprove the widespread belief that it was impossible to cultivate this unique plant.