Stinky....But Popular

Normally something called a "Corpse Flower" would not interest me.  Death and horticulture are not really exciting  subjects to me.  :-)  However, for some reason, "Corpse Flower" caught my ear as I was washing dishes and trying to listen to the news over my 4 year old's whining.  I managed to hear that crowds are gathering down in Houston at the Cockrell Butterfly Center to see one of these flowers bloom.  Apparently, it's hard to catch a Corpse Flower in bloom.  They are really finicky....there have been only 28 other "bloomings" of this rare Sumatran species in the U.S.  When they do bloom, they smell like rotting flesh.  The stench is meant to attract the meat fly...their primary pollinator.  The Houston flower was expected to bloom today....but didn't.  They now say it should bloom by Wednesday.  The Center has set up a webcam that streams live video of the plant.  If you'd like to check it out, click here for the Cockrell Butterfly Center's website.  Can't wait till she blooms! Glad I caught this news story.  With all the god awful things going on in the world, it's nice to hear something pleasant....even if it is about a stinky flower!