The Titan Arum, one of Mother Nature’s strangest and most potent creations. This unique plant first erected from the rainforests in Sumatra, Indonesia in the 1870’s. Perplexed by it’s rare shape, lifespan and odor, this flower quickly became a subject of intrigue and study amongst botanists today.

At first glance, a hermaphrodite of sorts. A large, hard penis emerging from the confines of a deep purple, vagina — ribbed for her pleasure. Derived from the Ancient Greek Amorphophallus titanium, translates to “giant penis without form,” and certainly lives up to its namesake. However, its unmistakable and wretched fragrance yielded the more popular name, Corpse Flower.

The Corpse Flower lives a pretty celibate life, conflicted with the ideas of masturbation, ejaculation and sex. For four years, this flower internally struggles until it gives in to its innate desires and then dies for its sins, a truly pious gesture. Once dead, the process begins with a single leaf grown from the underground corm or ball sack. The leaf grows into a branch that stems out at the top into several leaflets. The flower experiences its first erection, but can’t cum. Each year, the old leaf dies and a new one emerges until the ball sack stores enough energy. Typical of male demeanor, the flower becomes tired and dormant for four months. This process of excitement and anticipation repeats itself until it is ready to make its big release.

Confident and ready, the flower can no longer store all of its built up anguish and is ready to unleash its fury. The spathe or vagina is ready to bloom and open her lips to unveil the fragrant spadix or penis. The inflorescence can reach over 10ft in diameter, an impressive stretch. The head of the spadix is visible with pollen and becomes warm to room temperature. Once this occurs, the spadix can no longer control its urges and ejaculates the fragrance of a rotting corpse. The smell of decaying flesh attracts its noble suitors, carcass-eating beetles and Flesh Flies that pollinate it.

Immediate conception follows and both male and female flowers grow within the inflorescence. The female flowers open first then the male flowers a day or two later, preventing the dreaded incestual orgy. Two days later, the vagina is tired and collapses to the ground, the penis, lifeless and expelled, succumbs to its expiration.

A ménage à trois that ends in death. What a tragic love story.