corpse flower

noun

variants or less commonly corpse plant

: a tropical perennial herb (Amorphophallus titanum) of the arum family that is native to Sumatra and produces a tall, erect, yellowish-white spadix partly enclosed by a showy, white-spotted, green spathe which opens during bloom to reveal a reddish-purple interior and emit an odor of rotting flesh

Part of the reason the corpse flower is drawing such big crowds is because it rarely blooms. It is also one of the biggest, stinkiest plants on the planet …

—Lara Sorokanich

called also titan arum

Examples of corpse flower in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Two corpse flowers nicknamed Odora and Odorysseus have bloomed at the San Marino conservatory, drawing thousands for the rare occasion and quickly surpassing last year’s numbers. — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Two corpse flowers are blooming and on display at The Huntington Library. — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 13 July 2026

Hours before the zoo’s corpse flower began to bloom Saturday afternoon, the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory had to evacuate because of a bomb threat. — Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026

The corpse flower, or Amorphophallus titanum, is a rare tropical plant known for its foul odor. — ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for corpse flower

• candlepower
• cauliflower
• overpower
• superpower
• vavasour
• waterpower
• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• firepower
• horsepower