here is one of the carrion flowers. 

 

Does it reek like carrion?

no detective smell so far. 

OH OH OH It did bloom! Very very cool!

it's supposed to be huge flower.. i don't see huge.. then again, i'm not sure if i want huge gnat magnet.. 

The "carrion flower" is a common name for a specific species of stapeliad which is a family of succulent plants that produce smelly flowers that will attract flies for pollination. I can't id the species you have Pete, but it is not the large flowering carrion flower that most are familiar with. It may be a Huernia, but not sure. I grow a lot of succulents but no stapeliads. Flowers are awesome, but the stink is bad.

Hi Pete-

If you really want to keel over from a putrid, rotten, stench....try: Amorphophallus konjac..."Devil's Tongue" / "Corpse Flower"... Just one sniff will do it!  I sends up a beautiful, exotic-looking rack of leaves, and the tubers/corms can grow to enormous proportions.  I grew this "flower" in my earlier teen days, from a corm the size of a small melon.  After dormancy, I stored the bulb in my bedroom.  Well, around Jan-Feb. it sent up a fat, spotted stalk, and then a gigantic red-purple flower - that looked like a hideous Calla-Lily from Hell. - developed on top of a 4 ft. long stem.  After a few days, as the flower matured, it unfurled to reveal a livid, blotchy, spotted coloration.  Then the infamous smell commenced the assault.  Faintly at first, then, a full blast of a stink, similar to putrid, meat/cabbage/fish permeated every crevice of my house.  My mom, and dad, told me that either the flower, or, I, have to go.  I gave away the bulb with all due speed, and then endeavored to find other ways to vex my parents, it seems.

Try one of these plants to prove to all your friends that you have a demonic, 'Little Shop of Horrors', sense-of-humor.  Makes for great conversation when throwing a few back.  Really easy to grow too.


Frank


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EDIT:  If anyone growing this plant has a few extra corms, please let me know.  I'd like to purchase.  fdvpiano@yahoo.com

Carrion my wayward son...

Dracuncula vulgaris. relative to our native  Jack in the Pulpit, My mother grows these, but far from the house and down-wind. Fascinating in flower. Has almost cause vehicular accidents, as it is near the road.

I do have one of that type - 6 inch star shaped flower of a lighter brown/yellowish color.
Yes, the flower is very beautiful but it sticks, stinks too!

I have watched greenish flies being attracted to it; then I see the eggs,
followed by little (squirming/disgusting) maggots. However, since there is no real
rotting meat, them maggots will soon die and fall off.

What a natural deceitful flower...

BTW, there is one similar plant in NY Botanical Garden (Bronx)
that produces a huge 6 foot flower - it is often in the news.

rcantor-

..."Carrion my wayward son"..... P.U.  Very punny!


Gorgi-   Probably Amorphophallus titanum....largest flower in the plant kingdom.


Frank

that's supposed to be Huernia zebrina var magniflora as in big flower... i'll try fertilizing it.