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Press Releases
"Voodoo Lily" Plant Begins to Bloom at the Minnesota Zoo Similar to corpse flower, plant beginning to emit "awful, deadly" smell Apple Valley, MINN – March 25, 2011 – The Minnesota Zoo's first "voodoo lily" is beginning to bloom. Standing close to the lily, one can smell hints of its notorious odor and see the flies calling the plant "home." Similar to a corpse flower – known for its rotting, deadly smell upon blooming – the voodoo lily recently found its way to the Minnesota Zoo and was planted on March 22, 2011. The unique lily – which stands four feet high – has a foul, nauseous odor upon blooming to attract insects (mainly flies) for pollination. The voodoo lily is located near the Bali mynah exhibit on the Tropics Trail. Native to Japan, China and Indonesia, voodoo lilies are also known as "Devil's Tongue" or scientifically as Amorphophallus konjac. It is a member of the Aracaea family (Arum family) which includes the native Minnesota species, Jack-in-the-pulpit as well as the familiar Calla-lily. Each year, the tuber-like 'corm' produces a single leaf, which looks like a small tree. When the corms reach a certain age and size – instead of forming a leaf – they will produce a single "inflorescence," a combination of many small flowers and their parts. Typically the inflorescence has female flowers on the bottom of the spadix and male flowers above them. The Minnesota Zoo is located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. For more information, call 952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
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