Rare giant penis plant in bloom at Rotterdam zoo for first time in 3 years

The rare titan arum, also known as the giant penis plant, has bloomed at the Victoria Greenhouse at Blijdorp Zoo. This is the first time the plant is in bloom at the Dutch zoo since 2023, making it a special event.

Large smelly flower in bloom at Dutch zoo

On Wednesday, Diergaarde Blijdorp announced that the giant penis plant was officially in bloom in the Victorian Greenhouse. The last time the rare plant bloomed at the zoo in Rotterdam was in 2023, and in 1963 before that.

Known worldwide for its odour reminiscent of rotting flesh and its phallic shape, the titan arum or Amorphophallus titanum only blooms for two to three days every five to 10 years, making it a must-see event. The Dutch zoo advises anyone who wants to see - and smell - the plant up close and personal to do so soon before the rare bloom is over.

Giant penis plant threatened by deforestation

Another reason that the bloom of the titan arum is so special is that the species, which only grows in the West Sumatra of Indonesia, is threatened by deforestation, oil palm plantations and the rare plant trade. 

Blijdorp Zoo is just one zoo that “draws attention to the importance of nature conservation and the protection of tropical rainforests worldwide” with the blooming flower. Hortus Botanicus in Leiden also has a giant penis plant in its care, which last bloomed in 2022.