One of the Smelliest Flowers in the World Can be Found in Fort Collins

It's hard to imagine that a flower as pretty as the Voodoo Lily can put off an odor so revolting that it's compared to smelling like rotting meat and death — but that's totally normal for this unique plant.

Those wanting to get a whiff of one of the smelliest flowers in the world will soon have the chance because there's a Voodoo lily currently growing at the Gardens on Spring Creek.

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Also known as the Konjac, the Voodoo lily is recognized for its massive purple flower, and of course, horrendous stench, when in bloom. The reason that the flower produces such an awful odor, is to attract its only pollinator, the Carrion fly. These flies are typically the first insects to arrive when an animal or human has died, but in this case, the Voodoo lily tricks the flies into thinking it's something dead so that they land inside and proceed to pollinate.

According to Spring Creek horticulturist Kelly Kellow, the flower will smell the strongest after one day of blooming. The aroma lingers for several days, especially in an area with little circulation. The flower will then go back into a dormancy stage, and about a month after that, the plant produces a different set of leaves that have no odor at all. Several months later, it goes through the entire process again.

Right now, the flower can be found inside the Butterfly House, at the Gardens on Spring Creek, but it has yet to fully bloom for the season.

The Voodoo lily is native to tropical areas in Asia and Africa, and can be used both medicinally and as a food source.