A rare giant of the plant world has flowered for the first time in New Zealand, at the Auckland Domain.
The strange, unpredictable and beautiful Amorphophallus titanum, which originates from the rainforests of Sumatra in Indonesia, has been growing at council-owned nursery and Wintergarden for around seven years.
The plant began opening at approximately 2pm yesterday (Saturday 30 November) and the bloom is expected to last until the end of today (Sunday 1 December). Public visiting hours have been extended to 8.30pm for today (Sunday) only.
Auckland Domain manager David Millward, of City Parks Services, says this is the first time the plant has produced a bloom, creating a good deal of excitement amongst his team and visitors to the garden.
“The titan arum, as it’s commonly known, can produce a single leaf the size of a small tree every year for seven to ten years before showing any signs of producing a flower.